Disbound season two
by Erina-chan
Summary: Two are gone as season 2 starts - as they edge ever closer to the Umarekawari Isles, people start dropping like flies... but not necessarily the authors and characters... and there's always that empty spot in Trish's tent to fill...
1. Angels In The Rain

**CHAPTERS 1-17 + OAV1 REVISED JUNE 2003**

****

**_'Disbound'_**

**_by Erina-chan_**

Who borrowed: the _Pocket Monsters _anime concept and cast; _Karlie_ (KazOhki); _Mia_ (Arrow); _Trish; Michelle _(*Hotaru_firefly*); _Sarah _(Sarah the Pokeprincess); _Rachel_ (the late pf14); _Dana _and _Jene; Jacqui._

Overall theme tune: Mezase Pokémon Mastuaa (Aim To Be A Pokémon Master)  
Ending theme tune: Minna ga Ita Kara (Now We're All Together)  
Website: 

~*~

**_SEASON TWO  
_****THEME TUNE: **My Will; _Inuyasha_

~*~****

**THEME SONG: **'Don't You Know (It's Love)' - Ranma 1/2   
AND   
'Rain' - Marmalade Boy

* * *

Points of red and white exploded in his brain, but the thing that hurt Tony the most was when the linoleum floor of the café fwapped him in the back of his _perfectly _styled hair. 

**"Gary! What the HELL do you think you're DOING?" **Mia screamed, feeling the other conversations in the small beachside restaurant grind to an audible halt as all eyes turned to her and the two dueling teenaged boys. 

**"You prick!" **expostulated Tony, spitting small flecks of blood as he glared at the taller boy with clear hatred. He reached up and grabbed Mia's trousers, startling her as he pulled himself up to his knees. Gary grabbed him with a white-knuckled fist by the scruff of his collar, holding him in that position. 

**"If you try and pull anything with Mia again, I'm gonna do more than bring you to your knees…"**

**"Oh really?" **mocked Tony, still glaring at Gary. **"Such as?"**

**"Such as putting your lady-killin' butt straight into a coffin – got it? You so much as _touch_ her again and I swear I'm going to kill _you_."**

Tony was speaking in perfect English… his voice was double-toned, like Rachel's had been… Mia's eyes finally fell on the curved knife, discarded less than a metre away from her. A terrified gasp sounded from deep in her throat and she scooted backwards away from it, grabbing Gary's free arm and staring down at Tony in an absolute horror. Breathe. 

And he glared back at her, jeering, having no further need for pretence. 

But his 'twinkling, blue eyes', that had originally captivated her so, were now nothing more than seemingly bottomless pools of thick and crimson blood. A wave of nausea crept up inside her, thinking about Richie and Duplica, and about how close she had been, as she latched onto Gary's arm tightly. 

How easily it had been for her guard to fall. 

Is that how Duplica had been feeling in her last few moments, wondered Mia sadly. She hated the thought of her friend's last conscious thoughts being how stupidly and frighteningly easy it was to kill. To make people trust. To coax them subtly into dropping their guards. 

And she saw in the eyes of the stranger she had trusted, the same poison that she had witnessed in Rachel's eyes, weeks before. You'd think it would be easy not to let your guard down, but when you actually came to play the game, it was a lot harder than any of the original seventeen had anticipated. And Mia, clutching onto the strong arm of Gary, was just beginning to appreciate that. 

_Pest… _hissed the breeze that whipped up in the disturbed café, blowing hard into every nook and cranny. Petrified, Mia kept an alert contact with Tony's dark red eyes, not wanting to allow him out of her sights, but the wind blew violently into her eyes. The most unnerving thing about it was, apart from the eyes, he still looked like a normal human being to her. 

Gary was also having trouble keeping his eyes open, and gritted his teeth in anger as he allowed them to close, and practically shoved the obstinate Mia into his chest to shield her eyes from the whipping breeze, as he knew she was far too stubborn to shield her eyes for herself. They felt the gale soften to a gentle zephyr, and Mia heard a deep gurgle of disgust from inside Gary's chest as he moved his foot away from the thick puddle of blood that had finally trickled out from Tony's irises. 

Almost oblivious to the background murmur from the startled bystanders, Gary let his arms slip from Mia's shaking frame, and firmly grasped her hand instead. Mia stared sadly, in a detached fashion at the seemingly lifeless body of the boy who had mysteriously captivated her. Tony was lying, face down on the floor – and for a split second, his form flickered to that of Rachel's in Mia's memory, and she felt nausea climb up her throat once more. 

**"I want to go," **she murmured. **"I can't take this anymore. I don't want anyone else to die because of all this." **Gary looked at her with an awkward compassion, and pushing aside some nosy pedestrians, gently led her outside into the twilight streets, deserted due to a light drizzle which was threatening to turn worse. 

**"Come on, we'll go back to the others and you'll feel a lot better," **he mumbled, in an unusually gruff voice. Mia shrugged off the sensation of humiliation at being so dangerously gullible. They walked down the moody, grey streets in an all-oppressing silence. 

**"Poor Duplica…" **Mia suddenly whispered, in a bitter, broken whisper. Gary clumsily squeezed the hand he was still holding. 

**"Poor Todd." **Mia looked up, startled, and Gary's cheeks coloured slightly. **"Well, it's really rough to have your, well, your girl in trouble like that." **Mia forced back a laugh. 

**"Oh really. You know, people may think that because of how you just acted in that café, and cos of what you've just said… that YOU think of ME as your _girl_…" **she smirked, moving back a damp lock of hair that had become plastered to her still pale cheek.****Gary noticeably flinched at her words, and made a disgusted sound. 

**"Stupid people," **he muttered, matter-of-factly. **"You and I would be, the WORST couple in the world."**

**"Yup." **Mia looked down at where he was still clenching her fingers in his unusually sweaty grasp, and smiled to herself. **"Although some might only think we're as weird as Giovanni with Jesse," **she laughed, as they slowly approached the halfway point in their journey. 

**"What's so weird about that?" **Gary asked. 

**"He's her father. Actually he's yours as well. You're Italian." **Gary rolled his eyes, but fondly kept silent, before suddenly breaking the silence in a more sensible tone. 

**"Trish and the others are soooooo gonna yell at you." **Mia groaned. 

**"I know…" **she moaned in dread. **"And there's no way I can't tell them." **Gary suddenly stopped, as they passed a tiny green stretch of common land, with nothing much more than a broken down climbing frame and a few wooden memorial benches. 

**"Look, I know it's wet, but I think you'd better sit down a while and calm down. You're still pretty white,"** he murmured, scratching underneath his chin awkwardly. Mia shrugged, and letting go of Gary's hand, began jogging towards the nearest rain-soaked bench, little water droplets flying from her hair as she ran. 

**"Great idea, Gar'!"** she laughed over her shoulder, to where he was standing rather dumbfounded. **"It'll give you the perfect opportunity to tell me how madly you are in love with me!"** Gary froze, and chuckled nervously. Two can play at this game, he thought superiorly to himself. 

**"Okay MARIA, spill the beans," **he teased in a flirty voice that totally caught her off-guard. **"You only went out with that freak to make me jealous!" **Gary's grin slipped off his face when Mia stared down at her hands placed on her knees and coyly refused to answer. 

**"Think we're getting de-sensitised to all this?" **she murmured, gazing up at him with her emerald green eyes. He shifted under her gaze. 

**"What do you mean?" **he shrugged. Mia sighed, and gestured tiredly in the direction of the café. 

**"Well, some random possessed person did just try to cut me up into pieces and we just left his body lying in a pool of blood in the middle of a café…" **she answered, with a hint of sarcasm present. Gary touched his forehead lightly, and sighed. 

**"Well, it wasn't a real person, Mia…" **

**"Rachel is a real person," **she countered. **"But yeah, I think I understand."**

**"It's like a big fairy-tale," **murmured Gary, stretching his legs out and leaning back to look up at the still drizzling grey sky. **"But one hell of a dangerous one. We've gotta get to this stupid rock with these stupid flowers to work out how to make it stop, I guess…" **Mia turned her head to stare up at the cloudy sky as well, and closed her eyes wearily. 

**"We should get back…"** she murmured. **"I think I just contracted hypothermia." **

**"Cuh, serves you right for wearing that tiny tee-shirt," **Gary huffed, wringing a surprising amount of water out of one of his hair 'spikes'. He offered Mia his hand, and she rolled her eyes and stood up with her hands on her hips. 

**"You are HOPELESS," **she yelled, startling the taller boy. 

**"What...?" **he mumbled in confusion. 

**"I really don't have time for this, Oak. Do you, or do you not want to kiss me right now?" **Gary blinked, and shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets. 

**"Um, okay." **Mia's left eyebrow twitched. 

**"Um, okay?" **she repeated, sardonically. **"Jeez, that's romantic you, you… for lack of a better insult, twerp!" **Gary scowled. 

**"Oh yeah, and "Kiss me right now, Oak" is, Miss Boxer-Shorts?" **he retorted, his eyes narrowing. 

**"I… you… arg!! But, grrrrrr!" **Mia spluttered, her cheeks glowing pink even though she was freezing. Gary rolled his eyes impatiently again. 

**"Look, Mia. Just shut up," **he moaned, grabbing her forcefully around the back of her head and pulled her still moving lips to his. For up to 70 seconds, there was almost total silence. Then… 

**"Don't tell me… me to… shut up, Oak…" **gasped an out-of-breath Mia, who blushed in horror as she realised where her hands had roamed to during the kiss. Gary looked at where her hands were too, with one eyebrow raised in amusement. 

**"Trish is sooooooo gonna yell at you," **he smirked, gently caressing the back of her neck with his fingertips as she bit down guiltily on her bottom lip, and grinned slightly as she tasted his saliva. 

**"Well," **she began, looking up at him mischievously. **"We got lost. And we need to keep warm somehow, Oak… And you DID say that I was hot," **she teased, in an innocent, sing-song voice. Gary grinned widely, and showed his approval by silencing her again. 

Mia let herself plunge deeply into the kiss, and true to their story, she did feel warm all over. When did I get so mushy, she thought to herself, as she felt Gary's fingers comb gently through her chin-length hair. Been spending too much time with Rina… She raised her hand up to his damp hair… 

**"Mmmmp," **she squeaked, pulling away from him suddenly in astonishment. 

**"Whaaaat?" **he panted, still holding her tightly around the waist, as if he were frightened she'd run away. But Mia wasn't going anywhere… 

**"My hand is stuck in your hair, Oak!" **she snapped, trying to disentangle her fingers from his brown spikes. He winced, as she pulled at his roots. **"Christ, what do you PUT in your hair to keep it like that?"**

**"Gel!" **he snapped back, yanking at her suspended arm. 

Without warning, there was a loud, masculine shout, followed by a familiar feminine squeal of alarm, and something small and blonde shot across the small grassy common at breakneck speed. Its small frame whacked into Gary's, and the three people landed heavily on the wet grass. Mia was vaguely aware of a 'pwtiz' sound, whilst Gary felt something tickly land on his cheek. Silky strands of blonde hair… 

After what was only a few seconds, but seemed longer, Rachel hoisted herself up slightly so she could yell after the two flashy cars that were chasing each other away. 

**"Evil DEMONS!!!" **she shrieked, as she clutched the back of her hair with her free hand. **"That was my HAIR!" **Below the hand that was supporting her, was Gary's cheek. 

**"Um. Blondie, I'm not gonna ask," **he muttered with great difficulty as her palm was practically on his mouth. **"Mia… Mia… your knee is… where I'd rather not have a knee, Angel…" **Mia murmured something from the bottom of the heap. Rachel whirled around, her hand sliding off Gary's face and colliding again into the pile of bodies as she squealed in delight. 

**"Angel? ANGEL? As in a pet-name? As in you two are in LOVE!?" **Mia and Gary sweatdropped at the embarrassing exaggeration as Michelle seemed to form from the misty rain. **"Omigosh!!!" **Michelle yelped, as Rachel struggled to stand up and cooed as she witnessed Gary blushingly help Mia to her feet. **"That is soooo-"**

**"KAWAII!!!!" **screamed a different voice, as hair bounced into view. Mia groaned, as she looked down to where Gary was still holding her around the waist. **"That's sooooo PRECIOUS!" **Erin babbled, cupping her hands around her face and beaming happily. 

**"You'd better not write a fic about this Rina…" **mumbled Mia, sweatdropping as she saw pretty much the whole gang appear around the corner. 

**"Rachel got a warning about you," **Sarah explained to Gary, as she came to a stop in front of them. **"She saw you getting hit by a knife. Ah. That'll be it,"** she pointed to where a blade was suspended in the damp soil by it's embedded tip.

**"There was a street fight," **Rachel explained, straining to see the back of her hair as she spoke. **"You almost got hit. The only casualty is my HAIR!" **she wailed, but stopped when Jesse handed her a compact mirror and she saw the damage was barely noticeable. 

**"Wait, wait, wait," **Garyspluttered. **"How did you know where I was?" **Rachel picked at her fingernails. 

**"I was stalking you," **she began, and Gary started to splutter and protest at the idea, **"while you were stalking Mia," **Rachel finished, sunnily, shutting Gary up. 

Trish folded her arms across her chest and grinned happily. 

**"I'm not gonna ask…" **she laughed. **"Let's just get back to the hotel, okay you lot?"**

**"So, Trish, how was your date?" **Mia asked, as the group began the short walk back. Trish sighed dejectedly.

**"Don't ask…" **

**~*~**

_Sappy, sappy, sappy. Too many loved-up, hormonal teenagers. The only two that should be getting together in her story were barely getting noticed at all. _

_Oh well, thought Author, shrugging her shoulders and picking up her biro. Her pendant glowed its sickly red, the light illuminating the tear-streaked face of Jacqui beside Author. A gloved hand reached and squeezed Jacqui's shoulder. _

_Cheer up, mouthed Velve, as Jacqui bit on her lip and watched Author begin to write on the paper. _

_You know what happened when the first couple, fell in lust…_

~*~ 

Mia sighed happily, and burrowed her nose deeply into Gary's (super-kawaii in her opinion) pajamas, and reveled in her new 'companion's' closeness. It was a lovely, if not _new_ experience to be sleeping this close to him. 

**"Mia…?" **he murmured, nestling his cheek into the top of her hair. 

**"Hmmmm?" **

**"Does this mean I get my underwear back?"**

**"No."**

**"Oh." **There was a contented silence for a few minutes, until they were jostled by a banging sound. 

**"Okay you two, open up!" **commanded Trish from outside The Cupboard. **"We know you're in there! Get to your separate rooms until you hit 18! I mean it! We've got enough to deal with here! We don't need Gary Junior running around the place!"**

Mia and Gary looked at each other. 

**"It's locked, right?" **whispered Gary. Mia murmured yes, and Gary grinned in the darkness. **"Night then, Angel!"**

**"Night!" **Mia laughed back, feeling that warm sensation again when Gary fumbled and kissed her on the forehead. The closet filled with a sleepy silence once more, whilst outside it, Trish still fussed, Erin wailed about morals, and Karlie demanded that it was now her and her Kenji-koi's 'turn'. 

~*~ 

Meanwhile, despite the noise… someone was dreaming… 

_Michelle walked around the colourful campsite, running her fingers lightly over various paddling pools of water, and painted caravans that were dotted around. Slowly, she pushed aside the flaps of the nearest tent, and walked into the bright light._

_The tent was full of mirrors. Funhouse mirrors. Gradually, she made her way through the seemingly never-ending tent, gazing at her mangled reflections. Finally, she came to the end of the tent, and to the last, large mirror. Everything was deathly silent around the campsite._

_A layer of dust seemed to shake itself off the surface, and Michelle recoiled in shock when she saw the reflection._

_The reflection stared back – a perfect mirror image except for the look of hysterical agony in the twisted facial expression, and the gushing geyser of bright red blood that was pumping from a gaping hole in the dead centre of her stomach. _

_Michelle stepped forwards again, ignoring the sickly smell that was hanging in the air now, and stood transfixed on her reflection. The manifestation in the mirror reached out a flailing hand, and Michelle choked back an uncharacteristic sob as she reached towards the mirror._

_Before her hand even made contact, the glass shattered into a thousand, angry pieces. As it splintered, the reflected image seemed to scream, in Michelle's own voice, and Michelle finally tore herself from her spot and made a run for the tent flap._

_The terrified wail echoed all around her, as the tent seemed to simply melt away, and Michelle fell into an eternity of sharp glass. _

**I see a shadow in the mirror, and she's laughing through her tears – one more smile's all I can fake**


	2. Never Ending Fallacy

**THEME SONG: **'Mou Nakanaide' _(Don't Cry Anymore) _– Ranma ½ 

* * *

**"Mmm Brock chuck us another Popsicle."**

**"Ash, that hat is gonna leave a weird tan-mark."**

**"Where is Trish anyway?"**

**"We're all out of strawberry, Sas."**

**"I think she's harassing the desk-clerk at reception again."**

**"Gary stop stroking my stomach, your hands are sticky."**

**"Pineapple then – cheers."**

**"Is Rin asleep?"**

**"Yeah Gary, keep your hands to yourself, I'm trying to eat here."**

**"We'd better wake her up, she burns really easily."**

**"Poke her."**

**"Shut it, Red."**

**"Oh, lemme poke her!"**

**"I have a better idea…"**

Erin awoke with a gargled screech, and swam to the surface of the water, where she glared venomously at her hysterical companions and shivered violently. 

**"I hate you Todd," **she literally spat as she clambered up the steps and purposely shook herself vigorously over her sunbathing friends, who protested meekly at the shower of droplets. 

Michelle and Misty watched, detached from the others from where they sat on the wall bordering the poolside with the badminton courts. The two girls were rather alike, and so didn't always get on superbly, but at this time they were silent and amiable, Michelle still secretly shaken from her nightmare the previous night. 

**"When did we get used to life here?" **she mused half to herself; Misty looked at her in confusion. Michelle gestured over to the sunbeds, where two couples were clearly distinguishable, and Sarah and Erin were entertaining Brock, Ash and Jesse by both trying to condense the plot of Harry Potter into four sentences. In the end they gave up, and just squealed at each other. **"How long has it been?" **Michelle continued. Misty hesitated for a second. 

**"Since Erin… must be, over two months."**

**"Hmmm but how do we know?" **Michelle wondered, kicking the heels of her (new) shoes against the brittle, white-washed wall, knocking off small clouds of plaster dust. **"It could be that every day here is equal to a year back home, or vice-versa. I hate not knowing." **Michelle glanced at Misty, who was respectfully silent. She seemed to find something amusing all of a sudden, and Misty couldn't help but glare at her. 

**"What now?"**

**"You're a cartoon character," **Michelle sighed, rubbing her palm up and down her face. **"I write you in stories that I post up on some random site." **Saying that seemed to remind Michelle of something, and she smirked candidly at Misty, who sweatdropped. 

**"W-what do you write me doing, anyway?" **Misty asked, the idea clearly beyond her grasp. Michelle smirked again. 

**"Usually making out with Ash." **Misty opened and closed her mouth in a perfect goldfish imitation, but Michelle continued. **"That's Sakashipping," **she explained, beginning to count off on her fingers. **"Then you've got Egoshiping, Indigoshipping, Gymshipping, Orangeshipping… that's you with Gary, Richie, Brock and Tracey respectively." **Michelle leaned in closer to the horrified red-head. **"Don't even get me *started* on the female-female shippings." **Misty shuddered. 

**"So you really, see us lot on television?" **she asked quietly; Michelle scratched her neck thoughtfully. 

**"Yeah… but… it's the same but different. On the show you don't seem like such real people." **Michelle smiled ruefully. **"Then again, this may be because now I have to _live with you." _**Michelle's pendant flashed neon, angrily, making Todd yelp in surprise from the other side of the pool, as something inside him twanged in harmony. 

**"Look," **Michelle said, suddenly softening. **"Don't let our stupid views influence who ya fancy or anything. I'm not a Gymshipper, but if you like em tall and spiky," **Michelle shrugged, **"then go for it. Just…" **she hesitated as she dropped from the wall, and turned back to wink at the bemused redhead, **"don't get with Tracey, 'kay?" **Misty looked over to where Tracey was following Karlie dutifully around - before she fwapped him on the head and told him that she needed to pee - and giggled. 

Sarah gripped the volleyball tightly as a warm feeling swept through her head. She let it drop, and it bounced on her knees and came to a gentle stop. Sarah grunted to herself; the feeling hadn't been painful or unpleasant in any way, but her body had suddenly gone to a high state of alert. She peered down at her violet gem, which lay dull and motionless on her chest. Tracey materialised by her side instantly. 

**"What? What?" **he babbled in a panic, **"I didn't feel anything. Sarah? Are you okay Sas?"**

**"I'm fine," **she reassured the small group that had gathered around her, Michelle looking pale and ill. Sarah looked at her sadly, not knowing, but understanding how she must be feeling; at least Mitch had told the rest of them about her unfortunate dream. **"It must be the heat," **she feigned. **"I'll go back upstairs and take a nap."**

**"Tracey, go with her!" **Karlie commanded, as Sarah neared the veranda doors leading back into the Takai-Ryokan. Sarah turned around, and smiled brightly. 

**"Nah, I'm fine; you lot stay here with Michelle. And have some fun goddammit!" **she teased, **"it's our last full day of rest!"**

Sarah smiled to herself as she fiddled with her brown beaded necklace and jogged down the hallway towards the lift. Before she was halfway down the long, carpeted corridor, the doors began to draw closed into each other, and she began to walk more leisurely, knowing she wouldn't make it, and not being in a particular rush. 

She gasped as the warm feeling rushed through her veins again, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw a flash of violet between the closing lift doors. Quickly, she looked down at her pendant, which she relied heavily on, but it was unactive. However, Sarah felt a crushing need to get to that lift. 

She dashed towards the silver doors, and made it just in time to smack her palms against them in exasperation as they locked and the lift began to climb upwards. Despondently, and feeling on-edge still, she waited a few seconds for the next elevator to arrive, and arrive it did, with an announcing ping and a swoosh as the doors pulled open. 

Sarah ignored the electronic voice as it struggled to identify her unidentifiable self, and leant back against the cool metal bar that ran its way around the large, empty box that was the lift. She lift her eyes broodily, and her breath caught in her throat as she realised she wasn't alone in the lift as she had thought. 

She stared at her 'reflection' in the mirrored sides of the lift – instead of her normal appearance, she appeared almost purple-tinted. Her hair was far longer, and was a lilac-hue. Her reflection lifted its arm, and Sarah realised with a jolt that it may have exactly the same face, but the person in the mirror was not a reflection of her. 

The woman stared, with no expression readable in her creamy-brown eyes. Sarah felt her breath come in heavy gasps, but she wasn't afraid. The woman continued to stare, and raised her arm up to pat her own chest. Sarah glanced down at the corresponding area on her own body, and saw nothing but her pendant. The woman raised her hand, and gestured to where she had a tear-shaped purple gem embedded deep into the skin where her neck ended. 

As Sarah watched, transfixed, the woman grabbed hold of her gem, seemingly trying to pull it out of her body. Shiny blood dripped freely from the area around the gem, and Sarah felt a stabbing pain in her own chest, prompting her pendant to spasm, and glow so brightly that the whole elevator was filled with a violet light. 

The elevator announced its arrival at the appropriate floor, and Sarah opened her eyes, before gasping and literally leaping out of the elevator. She watched shakily as the doors closed and it continued to ascend; she felt chilled. 

Shaking it off, she keyed in the access code to open Tobokeru, and wandered over to her bag. She pulled a random teeshirt out of its wrappings, as the girls had bought many items of clothes on their recent shopping excursion. Humming nervously to herself, she unfolded it and turned towards her bed. 

Her purple notebook and pen were lying on her neatly-made (by Riny) bedsheets, writing on the page apparent, and the pen lying on the book with the lid off. A large ink-blot had leaked out of the nib, and Sarah recoiled in horror as she realised the ink was still very much wet. 

**"No…" **she murmured to herself out loud, looking warily around. There was just no way. They were the only ones to know the access code, as they had chosen it themselves, and they had all been down by the pool. Or had someone come up before her to play a joke? Sarah peered out of the window as she pulled the teeshirt over her head. 

Reluctantly, she returned to her notebook, clipping the lid back on her fountain pen. Gingerly, she picked up the pad, and began to read the eerily familiar handwriting. 

_From a cloudless sky, shall fall clear rain_

_In a singular struggle to do what is right And the sacrifice of a misguided light_

_Ainia and Mabui shall walk with me again _

_The storm in her soul is not calm_

Sarah furrowed up her brow; more of that stupid verse. But who would walk with who? These people would walk with her? Sarah shivered. She was walking nowhere with no strange people. But what about that last line? That didn't seem to fit, almost as if it had been written as an afterthought. Sarah scanned the verse again, before flinging the book to the bed in shock as she finally recognised her own, distinguishable handwriting. 

~*~

_"This game is getting infuriating," Velve sighed to her companion. "Why not just kill them off right now? Electrocute the pool," she smirked, vindictively. "That would do it."_

_"Nay," Author smiled fondly, completing the curve of an 'n'. "These things have to be handled delicately. It has to come from the characters themselves – their humanities, their foibles, their strengths, their feelings for each other. Otherwise, the paper will reject it." _

_Author jumped in surprise as Velve suddenly screamed, and clutched her head like it was splitting, crimson and chocolate curls spilling over her pale fingers. She stared with wide red eyes at her hands, as if she were seeing the most horrendous thing imaginable to her. She doubled forwards as if she were going to wretch, and let loose one single sob. She lurched back upwards, and stared angrily at Author with deep brown eyes, and violently tore the mask from her jaw._

_(__Why kill them at all?) she spat, angrily. Author sighed, and turned back to the paper._

_"Because, dearest Jacqueline," she deduced correctly. "It is simply what you must do." Author traced the name on her paper, and stared up at Jacqui, waiting to see her reaction. From inside Velve's outer-form, Jacqui read the name, and as she pinched her eyes shut in exasperation against the tell-tale tears, she felt the control slip away, and Velve snapped open her crimson eyes once more._

_"Honestly, I hate it when you do that Jacqueline," she hissed at herself, pulling her mask back across the bottom half of her face. Author stared candidly at Velve, knowing that Jacqueline was in there somewhere._

_"What? Did I not spell it right?" she asked, in mock innocence, before turning around to double-underline the name _Michelle O'Broin. 

~*~ 

**"I did Swords Dance!"**

**"Cuh, you did not!"**

**"I ruddy well did!"**

Rachel lolled over on her back, ignoring Riny and Karlie argue over a game of the Pokémon TCG. The evening was clear and fine, and the gang had decided to spend as long as they could outside by the pool, even if they weren't in the water anymore. The stars were bright and beautiful, as they always were in this world, and as she fingered the crystal clear gem suspended around her neck, Rachel felt a familiar pang for the boyfriend that might have been. Jesse, well-versed in hearts and heartbreak, smiled at the petite blonde, and hugged her knees into her chest as she wondered what to say. 

**"So… Blonde Twerp," **she smiled. **"How are you holding up?" **Rachel sighed lightly, pushing her hair out of her vision. 

**"I'm not bad," **she answered truthfully. **"I guess, I'm still under the weather… but at least I'm over the storm."**

**"I feel strange," **frowned Sarah, lightly touching her forehead with her index finger. She felt safe at least, huddled in a group with Tracey, Brock, Mia and Trish, who had just returned from a date with a Drake-Impostor. 

**"I guess I should feel flattered that he pretended to be Drake so that I would go out with him-" **she had been saying, before they all looked up worriedly and warily at Sarah, who gave them a weak smile. She startled as she felt something heavy and wet drop onto her noise, and peered up at the sky. Large raindrops were visible, pouring from the heavens as if someone had just wrung out a cloud. 

**"Oh, it's raining," **she murmured to herself, gazing up at the inky infinity above their heads, feeling yet more drops roll down her skin. The others glanced at each other warily, and up at the seemingly clear nights sky. Sarah smiled slightly, and looked at Tracey's face. She blinked in shock and felt nausea in her stomach as she saw the drops dripping unnoticed down his cheeks, and the cheeks of the others, were thick, and red. 

**"Sas, it's not raining sweetie," **Mia soothed, **"you just need some rest after today-" **Sarah exhaled as the bloody streaks on Mia's tanned cheeks seemed to fade away. They stared at her expectantly. 

**"It was raining blood... it looked like... blood," **Sarah explained simply, leaning exhausted on Brock. Mia winced. 

**"That… can't be good."**

**"At the end to find the page is torn **

**If all have will to love, yet yield**

**They'll give their auras, strength revealed**

**And your fallen ones shall come reborn**

**From a cloudless sky, shall fall clear rain **

**In a singular struggle to do what is right**

**And the sacrifice of a misguided light**

**Ainia and Mabui shall walk with me again."**

Rachel recited the verse perfectly, and stared quizzically at the boy on the deck-chair opposite her. Ash shrugged deeply, making Misty, who was lying asleep against him, frown in her sleep. 

~*~

_Jacqui huddled into herself, feeling the cold hardness of the wall press into her shuddering back._

_She cried. She cried as she tried to reach out to them._

_She cried and her crimson teardrops fell heavily onto their world._


	3. Summer 2002 OAV

**--------**

**DISBOUND  
OAV 1**

**--------**

_Dare ka Nihongo hanasemasu ka___

--------

The weather – warm! The breezes – balmy! The water – calm and crystal clear! The innkeeper – hoovering! Erin emerged from her bedding, blinking in protest. Misty was still sprawled over her single bed, seemingly unaffected by the unholy torrent of noise, but the rest of the room was empty. Squinting at the clock, Erin managed to cloudily work out it was just short of noon, and collapsed back to her pillow groaning. 

**"Did you sleep well?" **Ash asked meekly of Erin as she sleepily stumbled into the room, only being perceptive enough to notice the baggy-eyed girl's entrance because it was the commercial break. Erin didn't even grace the stupid question with a response. 

Ash, Gary and James seemed to be the only ones inside on this lovely tropical day, all drinking out of cans, all with their feet up on the table, all seemingly indulgent in their masculinity (even James). 

Brock appeared from the kitchen carrying a tray of traditional Japanese nikuman, handing one to Ash. 

**"Yum! Caaandy!" **chirruped The Dub Creature Formerly Known As Satoshi. Erin banged her head against the table. Repeatedly. 

~*~ 

Finally deciding enough was enough, Erin dragged Karlie away from Tracey and the romantic interlude they had been trying to cultivate in the gardens. As they made their way back into the house, Karlie had a thought. 

**"Um… isn't it about time for… all the Serebii stuff?" **Erin stared at her quizzically, and they slowed their pace as they reached the veranda doors. **"You know… in canon… for the fourth movie?" **Erin's eyes fluttered closed. 

**"They'll just have to… uncanon it!" **she declared, opening the glass doors. **"What we're going through is hard enough without involving mutating Celebi grass-monsters and psychopathic men named Vicious."**

The boys looked up expectantly as the two girls re-entered. Erin giggled and mimed rolling up sleeves. 

**"It's time you people learnt where you came from!" **she smiled. 

**"You must call me…. Karlie-sensei!" **Karlie demanded. 

**"And Erina-sensei," **Erin nodded, as Karlie pointed at a bewildered Ash. 

**"You! Repeat after me!" **she bellowed. **"Watashi wa Masara toun no Satoshi desu!"**

**"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!" **Ash 'repeated', on cue. Karlie sweatdropped. 

**"Satoshi!"**

**"Ash," **he dutifully repeated, not seeming to realise what was coming out. 

**"Masara!" **Karlie tried again. 

**"Pallet."**

**"Fushigidane, ikimasu!"**

**"Bulbasaur, I choose you."**

The two 'sensei' found solace in the walls. 

~*~ 

Still haplessly doing THE most infuriating thing of their lives, and now joined by a highly amused Sarah, the sensei had moved on to Gary. 

**"Ore no namae wa Ookido Shigeru da," **Erin tried. Gary gave her a maddeningly superior look. 

**"My name is Gary Oak," **he 'repeated' slowly, as if trying to emphasise that it was an easy thing to do. Erin groaned, as Tracey slipped almost unnoticed into the room. 

**"Wanna try doing Tracey?" **Erin asked, before grimacing at the look Karlie gave her when she took her innocent sentence in its most perverted sense. 

**"Repeat after me, Kenji-chan," **Karlie instructed, sidling closer to him. She thought for a moment for a suitable phrase, before smiling. **"Aishiteru…" **she purred. Tracey looked at her strangely for a second. 

**"Thanks for your help?" **he repeated, questioningly. There was a breathless silence. Karlie's mouth fell open. 

**"You mean… every time the phrase 'I love you' will be dubbed, it will be changed into…" **a stressmark pumped on her forehead, **"THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!?" **Sarah tried to calm down the outraged Kaz. 

**"Yeah, but how many times will a Pokémon character say 'I love you'?" **she tried to console. 

**"THE time! THE time! How can I have closure!?" **She thumped the sofa with her fist angrily, and Brock scooted away from her. 

**"Stop being a Gaki,"** Erin reprimanded from the opposite sofa. **"Besides, you're scaring Ash." **Karlie glanced at Ash, and indeed he looked totally panic-stricken. Karlie smiled at his lopsided expression of horror. 

**"Bless, Sato-chan," **she murmured. **"You're cute in all languages." **Her thoughts were interrupted by a horrified, attention-seeking coughing fit from Tracey, whom she patted on the arm and smiled at possessively. 

Ash stared down at his gloves, seemingly intrigued. 

**"Sah… Sah…" **he falteringly stuttered. **"Sah..sh…" **he struggled. 

~*~ 

It had taken a stupid amount of time to get this far, and most of the people in the room were now fixedly back to watching television, but encouraged by Ash's variation of his name ("Satsh, kinda a mixture, isn't it?" Kaz had pressed), the sensei were still grilling him. And he was improving! 

**"Ayetieshi warr Sartoeshi dush," **he managed, with great difficulty. 

**"Watashi wa Satoshi desu," **the girls repeated, patiently. 

**"Ahhtashi waa Sahtowshi days."**

**"Watashi wa Satoshi desu."**

**"Aahh… aahtashi wwa Sa…toshi dessu." **Karlie groaned, and Sarah turned around from where she was quietly watching TV. 

**"It's close enough, isn't it?" **weary of endlessly listening to the same thing. 

**"No it is not!" **snapped Karlie. **"He just labelled himself a slut in Japanese!"**

**"Okay Ash," **Erin turned to him, just as weary. **"One more time, and pleeeeease try, because I won't be able to relax until you do. Watashi wa Satoshi desu." **Ash furrowed his brow for a moment. 

**"Wa…tashi… wa... Sa…"**

The whole room watched with bated breath. 

**"To…shi... de...su."**

There was a moment of no reaction, until a grateful Erin glomped Ash, almost knocking him off the sofa. 

**"Yosh!" **he yelled, triumphantly. Erin stopped, and pulled back. 

**"What…did you say?" **Ash looked back at her, in confusion. 

**"Dare ka Nihongo hanasemasu ka," **came the voice of Rica Matsumoto, from Ash. 

Karlie blinked. 

**"I think… we've broken Ash…"**

Ash, or rather, Satoshi, stared at them in a bemused fashion. 

**"Nani ga?"**

Karlie was finding it hysterically funny, and was shaking with giggles. Erin was simply hysterical, with her hands clutching her face and her eyes wide in shock. 

**"OoOooOooh what have we DONE?!"**

**"4Kids ain't gonna like this one bit!" **Kaz hiccupped in between sniggers. 

**"It's not funny!" **Erin wailed. 

**"Oh but it is," **Karlie smiled, before turning to Tracey wistfully. **"Can we break him next?"**

**"Break me?" **Tracey squeaked. 

**"Ah, you have a gorgeous voice, Kenji-chan," **Karlie assured him. **"Besides, it has to be every otaku's fantasy to have Van whispering sweet nothings to them – males included."**

**"Huh? Who's Van?" **Tracey immediately asked, accusingly. Karlie sweatdropped, but was thankfully interrupted. 

**"Heeey people," **called Mia in a singsong voice as she walked into the room towel-drying her hair. 

**"Yo, Mia-kun!" **'Satoshi' smiled, raising a hand in greeting. Mia lifted the towel away from her eyes and stared. 

**"…Interesting," **was all she said, sitting down between Gary and Erin. 

**"Who's Van!?" **Tracey asked more forcefully. 

**"We've broken Ash Ketchum!" **Erin wailed, grabbing Mia by the shoulders and shaking her, sending droplets of water all over a disgruntled Gary. **"I've ruined Pokémon, ruined Nintendo! Microsoft will take over the world!" **Karlie grabbed a sofa cushion and smacked her in the head with it. 

**"Overreact much?" **she glowered. There was a racket on the stairs, and a highly aggravated Misty yanked the sliding door open. 

**"Masaka!" **gulped 'Satoshi'. 

**"Who's VAN?"**

**"WHO'S making all the noise?" **glowered a bleary eyed Misty. Kaz and Erin looked at each other. 

**"Er… him…" **they both pointed at the only person who couldn't adequately complain or explain. 

**"Iie! Kasumi, kanojo-tachi deshta! Uso! Iie!" **'Satoshi' desperately flailed as the redhead advanced on him with a mallet. Karlie and Sarah ducked as the boy flew over their heads into the far wall. Pikachu chuued and held up a card with a large red '8.7' scrawled on it. There was silence as Ash slid down the wall and landed in a twitching heap. 

**"…Who's Van?"**

**"Never interrupt a girl's beauty sleep," **Misty sniffed, now mysteriously mallet-lacking. In a flash, Ash was back on his feet and making a fist. 

**"I guess nobody needs THAT as much as YOU!" **came the voice of Veronica Taylor after three hours of voice exercises. The girls blinked and watched as Ash followed Misty out of the room, the two trading insults. Brock followed them out trying to calm them down by sprouting friendship cliques. Gary made a 'pschk' sound, and reached for the remote control. 

**"I guess that Ash is like a broken TV," **giggled Sarah, **"just needs a good whack." **Erin sunk deeper into the sofa sighing in relief. 

**"I now suddenly have a deeper respect for the dub," **she said quietly, in an enlightened tone. **"Never again shall I watch 'Primeape Goes Bananas' and savagely insult Brock's urge to call everything a 'doughnut'."**

**"Doughnuts!" **called Brock merrily, returning with his pink frilly apron and a plate full of mochi. Erin grabbed the sofa cushion, which had been on her lap ever since Karlie had almost concussed her with it and used it to muffle her anguish. 

Everyone cheerfully helped themselves to rice cakes and a sense of normality returned as they watched a rerun of an Elite Four battle. 

**"So is she Prima or Lorelei?" **Mia had to ask through a mouthful of rice. 

**"WHO'S VAN!?"**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUMMER OAV - Japanese translations  
probably all wrong cos Riny was too lazy to go get her dictionary or Japanese school notes :p

* * *

**"Sensei" **- teacher

**"Watashi wa Masara toun no Satoshi desu!" **- I am Masara Town's Satoshi. (Basically I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town)

**"Masara" **- Pallet Town

**"****Fushigidane, ikimasu!" **- Fushigidane (Bulbasaur), go!"

**"Ore no namae wa Ookido Shigeru da" **- My name is Shigeru Ookido (Gary Oak). (He uses a very masculine form of I/my = ore etc)

**"Aishiteru" **- I love you.

**"Gaki" **- Twerp. The word is also used to describe rabid AAML junkies who are rude and narrow-minded.

**"Watashi wa Satoshi desu" **- I'm Satoshi (Ash).

**"Yosh" **- Okay! Alright! Enthusiastic exclamation.

**"Dare ka Nihongo hanasemasu ka?" **- Does anyone speak Japanese? 

**"Nani ga" **- what do you mean?

**"Masaka" **- oh, no!

**"Iie! Kasumi, kanojo-tachi deshta! Uso! Iie!" **- No! Kasumi (Misty), the girls did it. Lies! No!


	4. Colours of a Spectrum

**Theme Song: **'Glass Moon' - Video Girl Ai

* * *

There was a noise.

From somewhere underneath something that resembled a blanket, Sarah twitched. The strange shuffling noise was suddenly punctuated by a hollow thud. 

**"Ow!" **

**"Ash?"** Sarah whipped the blanket to one side and stuck out her sleep-tousled head. **"Ash! What the hell are you doing in here? Ugh! It isn't even properly light yet!" **Sarah groaned, and flopped back down on her pillow.

**"Sorry!" **the chastened boy stressed, in an exaggerated whisper**. "I just wanted to see if the noise was coming from in here."** Sarah simply pulled the covers over her head again and exhaled deeply. 

**"Bugger off." **

**"Annoyance duly noted,"** Ash sighed, before turning, just escaping banging his shins on the dressing table once again and reached for the doorknob. His hand was stalled by Sarah's sudden movement. 

**"What noise?" **she asked, the rising intonation betraying her fear. 

**"Oh no, don't worry about it,"** Ash soothed the girl immediately. **"It's just a beeping. Like an alarm. Just go back to sleep, Sas. Bus is at nine." **

~*~ 

**"Are we there yet?" **

**"No, Ash," **Brock patiently answered, attempting to slickly fan out his selection of cards with a deft wrist motion and sending them flying into Trish's face. 

**"Aren't we there YEEEEET? I swear I'm gonna throw up…" **

**"No you're not, Riny,"** Trish patiently answered, scooping to retrieve the playing cards from the ribbed floor of the coach, **"motion sickness is all psychological."**

**"Yeah, you won't be saying that when you have to clean her puke outta my clothes,"** snarled Gary, clearly not impressed with the fact that he was sitting in front of the pale and swaying girl. Chastened by a look from the older woman, Gary turned his attentions back to his girlfriend, disgruntlingly ignoring him to have a conversation with Rachel. 

**"Mia,"** he used the hand that wasn't on her opposite shoulder to poke her. **"Mia? Mia… Miamiamiamiamiamiamiamiamiamiiiiiaaaa-" **

**"WHAAAAT?"** Mia whirled around, a stressmark pumping on her forehead. 

**"Er… er… nothin'…" **

**"Rummy,"** Trish proclaimed, slapping seven corresponding cards to the small, grey table. 

**"Beauty and brains,"** Brock sighed, tossing his hand over his shoulder where they smacked the dozing James in the face. 

**"Are we there yet, Misty?"** Ash whined, pressing his face to the window of the ancient vehicle and giving a bored sigh as the tropical scenery creeped past. 

**"Does this look like Trovitopolis to you?"** Misty snapped, wriggling her shoulders against the threadbare upholstery in an attempt to get comfortable. Pulling his face back from the window, Ash turned to his long-time traveling companion. 

**"Well sor-ee, I didn't see you were in a mood," **he huffed, turning the correct way in his seat once again and sliding down low on it to take up a defensive stance. From where she sat on the seat next to Misty, Michelle watched the two of them, the path of her gaze concealed by the hair dislodged by her bowed head. Ash was pouting and staring out of the window blankly, his solemn face reflected in the glass every time a blast of sunlight made it through the dense foliage. 

Glass… Michelle stared, transfixed on the transparent solid. She mused, idly, as was her way, that it was strange how something she would normally have paid little to no heed to could be the cause of her death. 

If dreams were to be believed… 

_The terrified wail echoed all around her, as the tent seemed to simply melt away, and Michelle fell into an eternity of sharp glass. _

Michelle shook herself out of it with a forced shudder. That was two nights ago. It was nothing. It was paranoia. 

**"This is it," **moaned Erin, bent double in her seat, **"this is how I'm going to die! Oh how cruel! How fiendish! How-"**

**"Will you SHUT UP ALREADY?" **Kaz bellowed, kneeling on her seat, reaching over and smacking the shorter girl on the back of the head. Erin made a peculiar sound and changed to an even more peculiar colour. Gary gulped and pressed himself back against his seat.  


**"Rummy."  
**

**"Oh, my beauteous Patricia!"  
**

**"Are we theeeere yeeeeeet?"  
**

**"Shut UP Ash!"  
**

**"Oooohh… you're gonna regret **_*gulp_*** doin' that Kaz… **_*hic*_**"  
**

**"Shut up ERIN!" **

~*~

**"You know, it's funny," **Michelle said as she surveyed the aesthetically perfect Trovitopolian seascape, her eyes soft as she raised a hand to push a rogue piece of her short hair behind her ear, **"but every single beach in these islands…"**

**  
"Look exactly the same," **agreed Jesse, before turning her back on the orange-tinged ocean.

  
**"So let me get this straight," **Misty sighed, **"we get all the way down here, and no one has thought of what we're going to do when we DO arrive?"**

**  
"I thought our policy nowadays was to tackle problems as they arise!" **countered Ash, scowling at the redhead. Misty ducked her head, and the others sweatdropped nervously as they watched her ball her shaking fist.

  
**"Whatever…" **she murmured, her head still bowed. **"How could I expect you to REMEMBER something as simple as hotel arrangements when you can't even remember… you can't even remember…" **Ash lost his scowl, and advanced towards the trembling girl with his arm outstretched, a worried expression on his face.  


**"Misty?"  
**

**"Oh just forget it!" **she yelled, turning on her heel and stomping off towards the waves, kicking up clouds of sand as she walked. When she arrived at the water she swung her backpack off her back, tossed a Pokéball into the surf and disappeared around the corner of the cove riding on her Starmie.  


The group on the beach stood in silence.  


**"Er, maybe someone should go after her…"  
**

**"No," **Brock sighed, **"she just needs to calm down. Ash, what have you done this time? Ash?" **The boy stood transfixed, staring down at where Misty's lone teardrop had made a dark smudge on the silvery sand. Suddenly, all colour drained from his face.  


**"Oh GOD NO!" **he wailed, sending his backpack crashing to the sand and falling to his knees along side it as he ripped his catches open and began throwing the contents all over the beach.  


**"Er, Ash?" **Tracey stepped up, neatly sidestepping a flying pair of navy boxers, which Mia snagged expertly out of the air a moment later, **"you haven't done what I thought you have, have you…?" **There was a triumphant noise as Ash's arm emerged from the back with his Pokédex. Hurriedly he flipped it open and pressed a few buttons.  


**"June 30th," **the mechanical voice of 'Dexter' resounded on cue. **"Misty's sixteenth birthday."**  


There was a split second before Ash started to wail in anguish. Brock tutted.  


**"Honestly. That's five outta five. Quite impressive Ash."  
**

**"WHY DIDN'T YOU REMIND ME????" **Ash demanded, leaping from the sand and grabbing Brock by his jacket.  


**"I did. Two weeks ago. And we put an alarm on Dexter."**  


**"Ahh. So _that's_ what that noise was this morning," **Sarah nodded sagely, before twitching in fear as Ash shot a venomous look around the group.  


**"You were all against me! It's a conspiracy!"**

**"So what did you get her Brock? I got her a CD," **Tracey asked, ignoring the hyperactive younger teenager.  


**"Oh this really expensive mail-order polish for her Starmie and Staryu."  
**

** "Oh yeah?"  
**

**"Yeah, I saw a commercial for it when we were in Pallet and-" **

~*~ 

**"Well, this is the cheapest bed and breakfast that doesn't look like it will result is us getting fleas,"** Trish frowned, looking up at the large whitewashed. wooden house that backed onto the beach. Gary groaned. 

**"I am officially broke you lot,"** he glowered, **"The boat, the hotel, the food, the clothes, the coach-" **He stopped and winced when Mia stood on his foot. 

**"Stop whining. It's all for the cause." **

**"Well it looks nice enough, hey Ash?"** Rachel attempted to bring Ash out of his blue-line funk but was met only with silence. 

The group was startled as a ruckus began in the beach house. A young woman with pale blue hair came tearing around the side of the veranda before leaping barefoot over the barrier onto the beach. It was then that her prey became apparent - an Eevee with a mouth full of dim sum. 

**"AHA! You're MINE!"** the woman crowed victoriously, throwing herself at the purloineous Pocket Monster and ending up skidding on her face in the sand to the feet of Todd. Gasping for breath she raised herself up on her arms, gazing across the bay to where the Pokémon was rapidly disappearing in the direction of town. 

**"I'll get you one day!"** she shrieked, shaking her fist and falling to her face again. **"Well, that's my dinner gone,"** she muttered to herself, pulling herself to her feet and turning back in the direction of the house while trying to wipe the sand off her clothing. 

It was only then that she seemed to realise she had company and froze. 

**"Don't tell me…"** she sighed, without turning around, **"customers, right?" **

**"Er… we were considering…" **Trish began, clearly thrown by the woman's madcap behaviour. The woman whirled around, clasping Trish's hands in her own, her cerise eyes wide and pleading behind her sand-caked glasses. 

**"Oh, please don't make your decision based on this! I'm honestly not insane! It's not like I'll gut you all in your beds or anything, ha ha ha!"** she haplessly babbled. **"It's just that fuc-, sorry, dam-, sorry, _blinking_ Eevee… every time I order out, it must have some kinda sensory device…"** The woman stopped as she realised her desperate blathering was hardly proving her sanity. She hung her head. **"Fifty percent off all fees."**

**"Deal!" **cried a delighted Gary, pushing in front of Trish. 

~*~ 

**"Just the one night please, Miss Celestine," **Tracey confirmed as Celestine made some calculations. **"Party of fifteen." **

**"Well, rooms are available in doubles, threes and fours-" **

**"Is there a room near a closet?" **Karlie interrupted, making Tracey sweatdrop and tactfully lead her away from the reception desk. Celestine blinked. 

**"Where do I sign?" **asked Todd, grumpily, wondering who had volunteered him to pay. As he scrawled his loopy signature on the paper, Celestine looked around the lobby at the odd collection of people. 

**"Will the fifteenth person be joining you later then?" **she asked as she handed Todd his receipt. He looked at her in confusion. 

**"Wha… oh for crying out loud!" **

**~*~ **

Ash looked at his watch nervously as Noctowl swooped around to do its final surveillance of the area. 10.53. This was bad. This was very bad. 

Ash jumped as his Pokémon let out a triumphant screech as it spotted the redheaded figure it had been seeking. Instantly he threw the ball for the Lapras he had borrowed from Gary, and the elegant Water Pokémon let out an obliging call as he clambered onto its back. Immediately the passenger Pokémon sped off to the area where Noctowl was hovering, Ash becoming near-soaked with the backwash. 

As he tumbled onto the moonlit beach, he was met with an icy glare from Misty, who had seen him approach. She was sitting on a rock with her arms and legs crossed, and as he walked up to her, she closed her eyes and stubbornly turned her head away. 

**"Oh, finally REMEMBERED that I was gone, hmmm?" **

**"C'mon Misty, I'm sorry," **Ash began quietly, his tone sincere. **"I know I always do it, and I know I'm an idiot, but I really did try this year. But come on, you know what I'm like! I can barely remember my own!" **he laughed, but his mirth trailed off when Misty did not reciprocate. **"Aw Misty…" **he tried again, awkwardly dropping to his knees in the sand in front of her, **"I'll take you into town tomorrow before we get the ferry and I'll buy you anything you want! Misty? Aw come on… at least look at me!" **

Misty startled him by obliging, although she still remained in her defensive stance. Ash sighed. 

**"Look, it's been really hectic these past few months too…" **

**"Oh yeah!" **Misty laughed dryly, **"the _other_ girls…" **Ash looked at her sadly and seriously. 

**"Don't be jealous." **Misty was momentarily struck dumb. 

**"I guess, it mattered especially this year cos… cos… I wanted to know that… we were still the same…" **Ash hugged her awkwardly, feeling nervous as she tensed against him. 

**"The same…" **he echoed, in an odd tone. 

They stayed like that for a while longer, Ash not knowing if it would be rude to pull away before she did. Misty had uncrossed her arms, but did not put them around him in return, he noticed. Finally she spoke again. 

**"Alright, I forgive you, but you are buying me some damn expensive present, Ketchum!" **Ash beamed as she drew back from him and he could see that she was smiling weakly. 

Ash got to his feet and recalled Noctowl. He turned, with every intention to be a gentleman and offer Misty his hand as she climbed into Lapras, but sweatdropped to see she was already on. He walked up and put his foot on a protruding knob on Lapras's shell and without thinking, accepted the hand Misty offered to pull himself up. 

~*~ 

_Author wordlessly balled up her fist, slightly screwing up the paper that was underneath it. _

_"How did they mess that one up!?" wailed Velve, her crimson and chocolate locks flying as she spun around to face the figure at the desk. Author eyed her seriously, before reaching up and moving the mask from her jaw. _

_"Come out here Jacqui…" she ordered. Velve gasped. _

_"What do you want her for?" _

_"I think it's time that our story became a little more… interactive…" _

~*~  
  


**"Riseth and shineth!" **Michelle called as she energetically drew apart the curtains of the neat and plain rental room. From her bed in the corner of the room, Erin flinched as the light touched her. Rachel yawned and sat up, pulling up her eye-mask. 

**"Michelle?" **

**"We're in Trovitopolis, the biggest city in the islands!" **Michelle squealed, **"and the ferry doesn't leave till six! Let's go SHOPPING!" **

~*~ 

**"Okay officers," **Officer Jenny of Trovitopolis frowned as she slipped her gun into its holster on her belt. **"You have your orders. Now be careful." **


	5. Slow Motion Daylight

------------------

DISBOUND

chapter 19

slow motion daylight

------------------

Theme song: It's Just Love; Gundam Wing

The redhead wandered idly into the bedroom, bright morning light bursting in from the open door behind her. On his bed nearby, Brock lay in an epitome of neatness, his starched sheet not even remotely wrinkled over his sleeping form. On the other side of the room Gary slept, curled up into the foetal position, almost unrecognisable due to the long brown locks that had amassed around his face without half a tub of hairgel to keep them up and under control.

            Parallel to the door was the third bed in the room, upon which Ash was sprawled on his back, limbs at all angles and his sheet only covering one leg of his practically bare form (Misty was relieved Mia seemed to have left him with one pair of boxers at least). Misty dithered a second, watching him sleep peacefully to the nearby sound of the morning tide approaching.

            **"GET UP KETCHUM!" **she bellowed, whipping the sheet off the bed for good measure. Unfazed by his personal alarm clock, Ash merely turned over and shoved his head under his pillow, which Misty soon grabbed and hugged close to her, away from his sleeping grasping hand.

            **"Whaaadoowant?" **Ash grumbled, conceding defeat where the possession of the pillow was concerned, and swinging his legs around the side of the bed as he rubbed his eyes irritably.

            **"We, are going shopping," **Misty informed him, tossing his pillow to one side, **"don't tell me you've FORGOTTEN?" **

At the mention of the last word Ash froze.

            **"No, ehehe, how could I forget such a thing?" **he blagged, heaving himself wearily from the bed and moving towards his bag.

~*~

The group of five made their way down the carpeted staircase, chatting excitedly. Trish was almost crying with joy at the prospect of finally getting rid of Delia's loaned, frilly-collared white blouse. Rachel was almost crying with joy at the mere prospect of getting to indulge in shopping once more - the hustle! The bustle! The price-tags! The smell of the fitting rooms! The snooty shop assistants! She sighed ecstatically.

            Michelle blinked as the group approached the reception desk to find the owner, Celestine, sprawled over it, snoring with her mouth wide open. At a bit of a loss at what to do, she pressed the attention bell. Celestine sprung up immediately, looking none the less for wear after her impromptu nap. Obviously not a condition of this dimension, Michelle thought wryly, glancing at Ash who was still in a state resembling that of the undead, although he had been awake for nearing half an hour.

            **"Going out?" **Celestine asked, perkily, manoeuvring her glasses back into place.

            **"Er, yes…" **Trish replied, surveying the young woman warily. **"Did… you sleep here last night?"**

**            "Yes," **Celestine answered plainly, with a smile. Trish decided to refrain from commenting on the absurdity of it and pointedly asking the number of bedrooms in the building.

            **"Ah. Well. How many minutes walk is the town centre?"**

~*~

**"I can't spend too much money you know," **Ash grumbled to Misty, now seemingly secure in his friendship once again, **"this particular adventure is eating up our funds so quickly it's disturbing…"**

**            "OmiGOD isn't that just the CUTEST HAT?" **Rachel squealed, stopping dead and pointing her finger at a window display. Michelle and Trish were next to her in a flash, each adding their own, squealed opinion of the garment in question. Ash sighed.

            As the group continued down the street Michelle turned one eye to scrutinise her reflection in the wall of glass. She smiled; her heart felt light. Something good was going to happen today!

~*~

**"Okay, now you have absolutely nothing to worry about son," **the doctor said kindly. **"This is a simple and easy procedure-"**

**            "Is it a procedure or an operation?" **the boy interjected, looking accusingly out at the sweatdropping medical team from under his navy spikes of hair.

            **"All operations are procedures," **the doctor soothed, hooking the boy up to the anaesthetic machine, **"but not all procedures are operations."**

**            "How is that supposed to-" **began the teenager, until his eyelids drooped and his neck fell slack against the operating table. The doctor smiled as he replaced his mask over his jaw. 

            **"Sweet dreams, Travis," **he murmured as he readied himself. **"Alright, scalpel!"**

~*~

Todd lay on his back, staring up at the shadows on the whitewashed ceiling as the branches outside his window swayed rhythmically with every touch of the breeze.

            He frowned slightly. He felt… bad. He had awoken with a cold, leaden feeling in his stomach that would not leave him. Something bad was going to happen today.

~*~

Michelle jumped at the loud sound. The stereotypical gangster-movie loud sound. Loud, wailing sirens followed by random blasts of gunshot. It was nothing to do with her, she reassured her palpitating heart, but nevertheless, pressed herself back against the shop window behind her, and met Misty's worried look with one equally so.

~*~

Attempting to shake the grey feeling off, Todd stretched leisurely, and stalked to the bedroom door. He was started to find Sarah standing outside it, her fist poised to knock, her expression equally surprised.

            **"I, I, er…" **she began, searching for the appropriate words. Todd sighed. Something bad was definitely going to happen today.

            Damn girls and their shopping.

~*~

The swarm of police cars were in view now, tearing around the corner and heading down the long strip that was the parade of shops, rubber wheels screeching on the hot tarmac. The congregation of shoppers all rushed forwards to the edges of the pavement, craning their necks and pushing to the front to catch a piece of the drama.

            The horde of black and white vehicles raced on, following what appeared to be an ordinary red car. Several drove up and over the sand-dunes in an attempt to cut it off, but only succeeded in throwing up a blinding cloud of sand and debris.

            Michelle scrunched her eyes shut and turned her head as she felt the wave of dust scrape past her exposed cheek. She jumped and choked back a sob as the erratic gunfire began once more.

            _Nothing to do with you, nothing to do with you, nothing to do with you. _  
            She whimpered, her eyes stinging with both unshed tears and dirt and pressed herself backwards harder, wanting to get as far away from possible from the dangerous road.

            _Nothing to do with you. _Harder and harder she pressed back, relishing in the cool, calming feeling of the glassy surface on her cheek, the palms of her hands, the back of her neck…

            An image flashed in her mind and it was hard to stop herself from opening her eyes in a shocked reaction.

            Bright colours. Tents. Pools. Mirrors. Funhouse mirrors.

_((A layer of dust seemed to shake itself off the surface, and Michelle recoiled in shock when she saw the reflection.))_

Michelle gasped, feeling the remnants of the furious sand-cloud suck deep into her lungs.

_((The glass shattered into a thousand angry pieces. The terrified wail echoed all around her and Michelle fell into an eternity of sharp glass.))_

Glass. Glass. Michelle remained frozen to the spot, as if the chill from the cold surface behind her had seeped deep into her bones and blood. Although it had seemed as if the cars had been racing down the strip for years, they were only just passing in front of her.

A passenger from the police car nearest the object of the pursuit leant out of the door, and took aim with his gun, aiming straight through the driver's window at his head.

~*~

Todd looked up from the sink and watched the reflection of the frightened brunette who was standing behind him. Drops of water dripped down from his chin into the porcelain bowl beneath.

            **"I'm worried. I feel it. I know you do too. We can't just ignore it," **Sarah repeated, in a monotone as she stared vaguely at Todd's back. Todd sighed, and reached for the hand-towel to dry his face.

The bathroom mirror splintered. 

Sarah screamed.

~*~

The policeman shot, seconds before the car he had been riding veered off the road and violently came to rest with its bonnet in a sand-dune. The single bullet flew true, shooting straight through the car's window. It missed the head of the occupant by mere inches and proceeded to fly through the window adjacent and then to hit the window of the shoe-shop opposite.

            The display window of the shoe-shop cracked cleanly as the bullet shot through, with a small, anti-climactic tinkle. Michelle barely had time to exhale in relief; she felt the angry split snake behind her back as it continued to make its childish noise - champagne glasses clinking together, boots crunching through ice.

            And then suddenly, there was nothing behind her.

            In reality it happened so quickly that Michelle was already falling backwards by the time Trish had followed the bullet's trajectory and had turned to face her. The glass fell in on itself, and a large pane of it came apart from the bottom and fell inwards to the shop's display where it shattered once more - serrated shining pieces coming to rest inside red stiletto shoes.

            The bottom of what had been the window was now left in jagged angry peaks from where it had snapped. Trish gasped and reached out an arm for Michelle's flailing hands and she slid backwards into the shadows of the shop.

            A point of glass impaled her as she instinctively turned to protect her spinal cord. She felt nothing but heat as her weight pushed her soft form further and further down, blood as red as the stilettos it washed around pouring from the hole above her pelvis.

**            "No!" **was all Trish could scream as she desperately tried to grab something to pull Michelle back, being unable to reach the arms of the girl who was now as limp as a ragdoll. Scrambling nearer, Trish slipped in the puddle of blood, and managed to snag the hem of Michelle's teeshirt. The fabric pulled, and the lining gave out under the stress, allowing Michelle to become even more impaled.

            Having no other choice, Trish frantically tugged at the material once more, and this time it held. Michelle's form came apart from the now stained glass with a sickening sodden noise and she fell forward, landing heavily on top of Trish on the pavement.

            Trish winced as she felt Michelle's hot blood seep in through her clothes. Rachel fell to her knees by Trish's head, sobbing and shaking as she bit her fists. Violently shaking himself, Ash carefully turned Michelle onto her back and Trish gulped in a breath of the warm, tropical air. 

            Pedestrians had now formed a circle around where the unmoving girl lay, calling out words that Trish couldn't distinguish as she continued to lie a little way away from Michelle. A gasp went up around the crowd as Michelle shone all over with a brash pink tinge, and seemed to fade, her image flickering and distorting like a bad television signal.

            And the increasing puddle of blood reflected the cerise light as it crept slowly along the paving slabs.

~*~

_If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself…_

~*~

The line of pale faces matched the pale, tope walls of the hospital corridor. Todd's hand was shaking so much that drops from his styrofoam cup escaped and slid icily over his knuckles. Trish picked distractedly at the browning and crusted over bloodstains that soiled her white blouse. She almost smiled at the irony - she definitely needed new clothes now.

            Ash stared blankly at his red-stained palms. Maybe by concentrating on them really hard he could stop them shaking. Sarah paced up and down, her brown hair flicking sharply with each sudden change of direction.

            Ash jumped as Misty clapped her hand gently on his shoulder. He looked at her questioningly with his wide chocolate eyes and Misty could see the trauma in them.

            **"Let's find somewhere for you to wash your hands," **she murmured and he nodded.

            Erin didn't even notice as the two walked past her. She sat with her heels on the edge of her seat, her face mostly obscured by her loose hair and her knees, which she had her arms wrapped around, pulling them close to her chest. Duplica and Richie were one thing, she thought selfishly, but Michelle was real. Michelle was her classmate. Michelle was her friend.

            Twelve pairs of eyes darted up as the doctor strode towards them, his expression concealed by a clipboard.

~*~

The girl craned her neck to look up at the entire height of the stately building. One minute she had been in her bedroom, the next outside a building she had never seen before in her life. It was a balmy evening and a humid wind teased a lock of her chocolate brown hair around her pale cheek.

            She had no idea where she was. She had no idea what was going on.

            But for some reason she felt calm. And for some reason, she knew to walk into the building, and also what floor to take the lift to.

~*~

**"That was quite a nasty scrape wasn't it," **chuckled the doctor, his eyes twinkling as he saw the group of young people visible relax upon seeing his cheerful expression. **"We're moving her to the recovery ward now."**

**            "Remember, we paid for a semi-private room!" **Todd interjected.

            **"_Semi_-private?" **echoed Mia, with her hands on her hips. Todd sweatdropped.

            **"It was all I could afford, what with the bed and breakfast fees…"**

**            "She was touch-and-go for a while, I won't lie to you," **the doctor continued, his tone becoming more grave. **"But she's through the danger area and expected to make a full recovery in time. I hope you don't have any urgent plans for the next week!"**

**            "Oh, thank God for this screwy world's healing thing," **Erin breathed in relief.

            **"Yeah, you seem to get battered up to a point where you die, but if you don't reach that point," **Karlie shrugged, **"you go back to how you were before the battering began."**

**            "There may be a time we won't find that a blessing," **Sarah frowned, uncomfortable with the unnatural 'all-or-nothing' concept.

            **"Can we see her?"**

**            "No, I'm afraid not yet. And she's still unconscious anyway. We've got the number of your residence, we'll be sure to call you if there's the slightest bit of change."**

            Chatter and colour returned to the group as they made their way towards the lift, feeling lighter and more optimistic. With good timing, the lift they called to travel down with turned out to be the lift that Ash and Misty had been traveling back up in.

            **"Er, guys," **Ash attempted to say something while as many of them as possible poured into the lift on top of him.

            **"Hey, listen," **Misty tried, **"there's someone-"**

Erin, one of the half waiting for the next lift, searched through the throng of bodies to find Misty. 

And she found her. Standing next to a figure, new and familiar at the same time. The figure's eyes also lit up in recognition as Erin stared in almost disbelief.

            **"Jacqui… What-"**

The lift doors closed between them.


	6. Beyond the Frontiers

------------------

DISBOUND

chapter 20

beyond the frontiers

------------------

Theme song: Egao ni Natai, _Marmalade Boy_

~*~

_Just a little girl, pretending she was Queen_

_Didn't know her world would change_

_Didn't know what change would mean_

_Which face will you wear today?_

_How about the pretty one?_

~*~

**"I don't know," **the teary girl professed, attempting to pour every possible ounce of sincerity into her words. **"I don't know why I'm here, I don't know anything about any deaths and I _promise you_, aside from Erin, I have never seen _any_ of you before in my life." **Jacqui looked up miserably at the row of unbelieving and accusing faces.

Erin leant against the far wall, her expression concealed in shadow and her arms folded; her stance however gave out little hope of solace and support. She was obviously choosing to remain neutral.

**"Listen!" **Sarah snapped, her head jerking forwards with the sheer force of her words, **"I have seen you almost every single night in my dreams for over two months. _You are_ the girl who's been talking to me. You have the same name as her even!" **Jacqui shook her head vigorously, her eyes stinging.

**"You're wrong, I-" **She was cut off as Sarah slapped her hard across the face.

**"Sarah!" **Erin called immediately and sharply from across the room, but she was ignored.

**"Don't call me a liar!" **Sarah cried, her face contorted in anger, her eyes beginning to appear moist. **"You know! You know what's going on here! You're just toying with us! You heartless bitch!" **Sarah spat, her hands balling into intimidating fists. She jumped as she felt Tracey grab her wrists from behind and begin to murmur to her in a soothing tone.

Rachel eyed the pale girl sitting on the end of the bed in front of her. She had a delicate, serene aura, her hair and eyes a deep brown and her skin so porcelain she looked like a china doll. She was definitely the girl that she had seen.

_((A girl that Rachel had never seen before was standing just a little way behind the circle. A young teenaged girl, her height or even shorter, but with a wise expression that made her seem far older. The girl stared at her with deep brown eyes; her face was pale, and her shoulder-length, ringletty hair shone a similar dark brown, so it was almost verging on black.))_

She seemed more real, sitting here crying quietly, playing nervously with her hands, her pale features blotched red. Rachel's eyes suddenly widened - was it… yes, barely visible, but it was there. The catchless, gossamer thin golden chain showing slightly around the collar of Jacqui's black teeshirt.

She didn't feel the need to ask - Rachel strode up and yanked the chain, dropping it again as if it had suddenly become red hot as a stone became visible. Shaped like a tear-drop. Suspended by a thick gold triangle from the emaciated chain. Red as blood. There was silence in the room, save only Jacqui's stifled sobs.

Trish looked down at the younger girl. One of us, she thought, questioningly, thinking back to her half-red tent, of which she had previously had the luxury of sole occupation. But the crimson of the pendant hit too close to too recent memories of Michelle's blood soaked form - gashes on her face and the pumping puncture above her hip. 

I can't trust her. I don't trust her.

~*~

Light crept along the white ceiling like inquisitive fingers as the summer dawn broke over the sleeping island of Mandarin. Sarah lay awake, unperturbed. She hadn't slept when she had realised it was midnight. One am. Three am. Why should the fact that it was now light disturb her insomniatic thoughts?

Her room-mates, Trish and Karlie, lay asleep, oblivious to that which churned relentlessly inside Sarah's head, denying her sleep or peace. It was wrong. She felt wrong. Everything was going wrong.

It wasn't just the arrival of this girl who refused to admit who she was, currently occupying Michelle's bed in the next room - Sarah had not been feeling herself for a few days now…

_Or maybe she was feeling more herself than she ever had in her life?_

It had all started with that violet figure in the lift, back at the Takai-Ryokan. Sarah thought about her all the time. The other her. The girl with the face identical to hers. With handwriting identical to hers. With a purple gem identical to hers. Easily, she conjured up the image of the figure, bleeding heavily and selflessly from the base of her neck. 

Ever since that encounter, Sarah had felt as if something was on the verge of happening. Something big. Something important. Or maybe just… _something._

Just when she was beginning to sort things out in her head, Jacqui appears. And although Sarah trusted Erin, and her faith in the innocence of her longtime friend, she was in no doubt that this _something_ that she felt had everything to do with Jacqui. Although her denials and tears were real, there was something inside her that even she may not be aware of. An artic wind that blew from her eyes, her fingertips, her words. Ice-water running like a river through her veins.

_From a cloudless sky shall fall red rain._

Sarah shifted as that particular line from the verse came to her again.

_((She was startled as she felt something heavy and wet drop onto her noise, and peered up at the sky. Large raindrops were visible, pouring from the heavens as if someone had just wrung out a cloud. _

**_"Oh, it's raining," _**_she murmured to herself, gazing up at the inky infinity above their heads, feeling yet more drops roll down her skin. The others glanced at each other warily, and up at the seemingly clear nights sky. Sarah smiled slightly, and looked at Tracey's face. She blinked in shock and felt nausea in her stomach as she saw the drops dripping unnoticed down his cheeks, and the cheeks of the others, were thick, and red.))_

Sarah exhaled. She felt close to some sort of conclusion, but every time she attempted to put her finger on it, slipped away, like water through her fingers. It was infuriating; Sarah's fingers, tanned already from the tropical climate, tightened on the bed linen.

She was on the verge of realising something.

And it was on the verge of happening.

~*~

_Something spoke to Velve._

_Something with a soft and gentle voice that shone a soft and gentle purple._

_And for a brief second, there was a moment of mutual understanding._

~*~

Tracey awoke, his cheek cold against the pillow, his dream merging with the early morning light and becoming lost to him. Instinctively, he clung to the final speech, the words from a familiar voice echoing around his head.

_Hatred is my downfall, and love is my death._

Strange, Tracey thought, blinking as he raised himself up from the bed on his arms. For a dream that ended on a note of death, the feelings from it had been warm. Adoring. Must have involved Kaz, Tracey smiled to himself as he scratched the back of his neck, where his forest green hairline met with slightly tanned skin.

Outside the window, morning officially broke with the call of a Dodrio. Tracey's experienced ears caught and identified the echoing call of a fledgling Doduo. He should get up - do some sketches. Summer was a very profitable season for a Watcher.

Tracey clambered out of bed and slipped into a pair of dark orange shorts. He made his way to the bathroom smiling for no particular reason at all.

~*~

Another day in paradise. Mia gazed out at the blinding surf through the window of her room. She sweatdropped slightly as she saw the obviously eccentric owner, Celestine, attempting to sweep the veranda clear of sand, while the morning wind simply blew it straight back on. She didn't jump as a figure stole up behind her and poked her in the base of her back with its two index fingers. Her hunch on the identity was proved right as the same two arms snaked around her waist and a chin found a resting place on her shoulder.

**"Morning Angel," **Gary murmured into her hair, making her shoulder quiver with the vibrations from his throat.

**"Morning," **Mia replied, reaching up languidly with her right arm to poke him in retaliation. Gary straightened and moved to stand at the side of her, and she lazily turned to face him, tip-toeing slightly to receive a morning peck on the cheek. As she moved away Gary grabbed her forearms and she looked at him with slight amusement. He had his sexy, wicked glint in his eyes…

~*~

_Whirr, click._

_Whirr, click._

Rachel stepped barefoot onto the beach, her short blonde locks immediately being tousled by the breeze that made the heat bearable. Squinting she scanned the edge of the water in search of the sound, and saw Todd a little way away from the beach-house, face obscured by his camera. Hearing her approach, sipping at her glass of water, Todd whirled around.

_Whirr, click._

Rachel squealed, raising her free arm to block her face a few seconds too late. Todd removed the camera from his eyes, grinning wickedly.

**"Bastard!" **Rachel pouted, playfully flinging the remainder of her water in his general direction, not really intending to hit him. Todd dodged the spray for show anyway and grinned again. The petite blonde couldn't help but smile back.

**"Well, you interrupted my solitude," **he laughed, looking back out at the aquamarine carpet that stretched out to where he could see the peaked rocks that surrounded Trovita Island and beyond.

**"Well," **Rachel began, slightly flustered, **"breakfast's up." **He must have been thinking about Duplica, she thought, curiously watching his profile for a change in his serene countenance. 

**"Thanks," **he simply said, his nose slightly wrinkling in a smile as he continued to survey the sea. Rachel suddenly felt uncomfortable where she had felt comfortable before.

**"See you inside," **she murmured, before turning and walking back in the direction of the beach-house. Todd turned to watch her. Her slim legs jerked slightly from side to side as her feet slipped in the soft, shifting sand. Her fair hair and silvery-grey thigh-length skirt were intently pushed to one side by the breeze.

Todd looked out at the ocean again, deeply breathing in the salty-tasting air. He smiled, and turned to follow Rachel inside the house.

~*~

Breakfast was a bizarre affair. Faces were disturbingly absent from the table; Brock explained that Erin, Ash and Jesse had gone to the hospital to see if they would be permitted to see Michelle yet. The additional face was also disturbing - Jacqui sat uncomfortably in the spotlight, almost visibly squirming as she ate tiny bites of her food.

Tracey and Karlie sat oblivious to everybody else, tantalisingly feeding each other strawberries that Brock had no recollection of buying. In comparison, Mia and Gary seemed embarrassed, and had seated themselves at opposite ends of the room. Currently, Mia seemed desperate to avoid contact with him - she began a conversation with Celestine, who had come into the room with a fresh pitcher of milk. Although it had been forced and awkward at first, the two were now chatting away.

Trish's eyes flicked suspiciously between Gary and Mia, taking in every detail of their flushed faces and rumpled clothing. Her mouth twitched, but she didn't know whether it was a frown or a smile. She decided to let it slide, reaching for the milk. I've gotta get out of the motherly protective role, she sighed to herself. Besides, Riny was moralistic enough for the both of them…

~*~

Now the proud owner of a new outfit, Trish walked more jauntily down the highstreet, averting her eyes when she came to the cordoned off area where Michelle's blood still stained the pale-stone sidewalk. Karlie walked alongside her, her hands in her pockets, her short sleeves rolled up even shorter due to the blistering sunshine.

**"So, I need updating," **the younger girl said, smiling mischievously, **"how many 'Drakes' have you been out with now?" **Trish sighed. She knew she really should be flattered that -how many now?- six good-looking Drake look-alikes had pretended to be the real thing when offered a date with her, but…

Trish looked up wistfully at the sky through the wavy heatlines emanating from the pavement, not so bothered by the heat as Karlie due to her Australian origins. I guess, she thought soberly to herself, I'll never find Drake… my Prince Charming.

Trish walked into a lamp-post. Karlie half-gasped, half-giggled as Trish stepped back from the metal pole, relatively unhurt but slightly dazed none the less. A poster had dislodged itself from the pole from the force and fluttered lazily downwards to rest at Trish's feet.

**ORANGE LEAGUE CHAMPION DRAKE   
WILL BE SIGNING COPIES AT THE LAUNCH   
OF HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY _'DRAGON-MAN'_!  
SATURDAY ONLY!!!  
2-5pm!!  
TROVITOPOLIS BOOKS  
255 HIGH STREET**

~*~

Trish lay on her cool white sheets and twitched her toe to the rhythm of the song in her head. The window was open as the night was humid, and from her adjacent bed, Trish idly watched the white muslim curtains flutter.

Sarah was taking a bath and Trish could only guess that Karlie was with Tracey. She had the room to herself and simply lay, quietly appreciating the beauty of the colourful world she was currently in, as the lights from a flock of Ledian danced around the stationary lights of the stars.

She allowed herself to guiltily wish that Michelle's treatment would not be finished by the morning so she would be able to visit the book signing!

~*~

Jesse opened the door, with a pink toothbrush sticking out the side of her mouth. Gary was slightly startled at her make-up free face (well, what of it he could see around the green face-mask).

**"Er, um, is…" **

Wordlessly, Jesse pulled the door open further to reveal Mia lying in her bed, holding her sheet up to her neck in alarm. Gary sighed. **"Can I have a word?" **It was not so much a question as a plea.

Out in the cool stillness of the corridor, Mia smiled sincerely at her boyfriend. He felt relieved.

**"Why you been funny today?" **he murmured. **"People think something's up."**

**"I was just embarrassed… didn't want people to think something was up!" **Mia laughed slightly at the irony. **"It was just…"**

**"A little further than was meant?" **Gary finished simply. The two teens stared at each other. Gary smiled and took her hand. **"Still a lot further to go together though!" **Mia stifled a laugh and mocked outrage at the lecherous suggestion. Gary felt almost weak with relief - spending the day thinking Mia was horrified, regretful and angry with him had been emotionally exhausting. He kissed her gently, enjoying moments like these that were softer than his personality dictated.

As Mia retreated into the shadows, her pale nightshirt the only thing obvious in the gloom, Gary began to walk backwards down the corridor, watching her for as long as he could.

Just when did this boxer-stealing tomboy become so………?

~*~

_The darkness came for her._

_Pouring in through her mouth, the light solidified into a ribbon. Green. Dark green. Almost black._

_It ran down inside her, setting fire to her throat. Her lungs rasped and tightened. Rasped and tightened. Rasped and tightened._

_The ribbon reached her stomach and exploded into light, bouncing off her internal walls, leaving angry red welts wherever it came in contact._

_She could not breathe in air, she only breathed out fire. Gasping, she clutched to her consciousness as the darkness became more and more complete._

_She felt the fire spread. Felt each and every organ give out on her._

_The darkness came._

_She was dead._

She only uttered a gasp as she sprung perspiring from her pillow, but the gasp may well have been a scream as it roused Sarah and Karlie almost instantaneously. Trish pressed her neck with her palm, breathing in labouriously and thirstily. 


	7. Better View

****

------------------

DISBOUND

chapter twenty-one

------------------

'better view'

Theme Song: _Ai Uta Ga Kikoeru (I Can Hear A Love Song) _– Tenchi Muyo

****

~*~

****

The tropical morning air hung heavy, as if it were an additional woollen blanket draped over the crisp white sheet of the bed. Jacqui felt buried by the humidity. She shifted silently on the bed, feeling her clammy skin pull from the clothing. 

Her blonde roommate had risen with the sun, cheerful, smiling to herself, but, as Jacqui was growing accustomed to, greeted her icily when she realised she was awake. Cheeks straightened in sobriety. Blue eyes flashing over grey in hostile disapproval.

And rare, but not unheard of - Erin had risen from her bed not long after Rachel had made her way down to the beach. Yearning for the familiar, Jacqui had reached for her childhood friend eagerly, with bright eyes and smile. The puckering of one dimple on one cheek was reminiscent of meek smiles to appease teachers and Jacqui knew to withdraw.

Erin disappeared without words into the en-suite bathroom and Jacqui merely drew her knees up and clutched herself so tightly that it hurt. Erin reappeared just as wordlessly and sat at the vanity unit, silver tweezers shining between her fingers, casting curious pale shapes on the wall adjacent. Methodically she attacked her brow. Jacqui watched her shoulders tense and relax, tense and relax. She liked to imagine that her best friend was watching her in the mirror, but Erin's eyes were set, focused on her own reflection. 

The dark haired girl in the bed behind her may as well have been invisible. So she dipped her head and clutched her knees tighter, feeling the blood slow within her.

~*~

Rachel clutched her knees to her as she laughed, making sure to position her feet appropriately to the length of her skirt, the bag of bait nestled safely in the space between the concave of her arched stomach and her vertical thighs.

Todd lay a little way away from her, on his front in the sand, a portion of bait in his one gloveless hand. The Mankey peeked from behind the palm tree, its gaze unabashedly focused on the food. It edged out of the shadow of the tree, spindly pink fingers reaching for Todd's.

****

"You see Rachel?" The picturesque scene was somewhat disrupted by Todd's voice, in hushed tones. **"I need you to do things like this for me so I can be taking the pictures, okay?" **Rachel smiled, somewhat thinly although she knew he was looking at the Mankey not her. He then did turn to face her, as the Mankey finished and retreated, sand caked to the bottom of his chin and falling off the front of his teeshirt as he moved. 

Rachel wondered for a moment if Duplica had ever helped him, if it had ever been her brandy eyes in comparison to her blue, that met his dark eyes in triumph after the acquisition of a perfect shot. For some reason, she longed to ask. Did she want to see the hurt in those dark eyes?

**"No problem," **was all that she said.

~*~

Trish floated into the dining room, almost ethereal in her elation. In stark comparison, Sarah followed, yawning and baggy-eyed, watching her older friend habitually. Nobody had had that much sleep really. It had become customary now that everyone was awoken whenever anyone had a dream.

Trish sank gracefully into a chair and reached dreamily for the orange juice, which she proceeded to pour into the vase in the middle of the table before reaching towards the toast rack. Drake continued to preoccupy her vision. All brooding and pectoral and navy trousers. She sighed again as she buttered her napkin.

Nobody paid that much attention. Breakfast was always a feral affair when in a large group. There was only so much food – and even if there was enough to go around, the boys liked to jump upon any opportunity that would see them eating more than their own ration. It was a hunger sentence to be late for breakfast.

As Mia and Gary growled about the ownership of one particular rasher of bacon in the background, Jacqui sipped her tea, docilely. She guessed that, with Michelle absent, there would be sufficient food should she want to eat, and that she did, but she refrained. The ice was too thin. She kept her eyes down as she lowered her half-empty cup to the white tablecloth again and returned the hand that had held it to her lap. Small ripples grew on the creamy liquid as Karlie banged the ketchup bottle furiously further down the table. The words of the table washed over her like little ripples, little waves.

**"-pass the juice-"**

"-book signing-"

"-Pinkan Island, yeah it-"

"-see her today?-"

"-any more milk?-"

Jacqui frowned, distorting her features. You shouldn't feel so detached. You've done nothing wrong. It's probably all this silence that's making them wary. She glanced upwards defiantly, the full-view of her large and long-lashed chocolate eyes startling Brock, who had been watching her from opposite the table.

**"Well, I'm heading off soon," **Trish was saying.

**"The signing's not for hours," **Karlie pointed out, her mouth full of partially chewed pork. Trish smiled conspiratorially.

**"I have to make a quick stop – buy something. I've still got some money left in my clothes budget," **she said quickly as Gary glared at her. **"So, I'll head out now. I'll meet whoever wants to come at the bookstore at…twelve?"**

"Signing doesn't start till two!" Karlie pointed out again. Trish pouted.

**"But there'll be a quuuuuuuueue!" **Karlie rolled her eyes.

**"Fine. Not like it affects me. I'm not going."**

"I'll go," spoke up Misty. **"You guys coming?" **Brock and Ash shrugged the affirmative.

**"Can-" **The word stuck in Jacqui's throat. All eyes on her. She swallowed, as if trying to flush whatever was stopping her from speaking. **"Can I come?"**

"Of course," Trish answered, too quickly to be plausible. Eating resumed. Jacqui felt like smiling with relief. As her eyes swung around from Trish back to her plate, she noticed Erin was looking at her blankly.

~*~

Trish felt like giggling. Who knew they would have this sort of shop in this world? And she was glad she'd given herself so much time – what a selection! Feeling like an underaged schoolgirl she sunk into the shadows of the shop.

She emerged over an hour later, clasping her apparently nondescript indigo and gold bag. She felt like embracing the bag to her breast and jumping up and down in the middle of the pavement in sheer anticipation. She refrained and settled with a broad grin and definite skip in her step as she made her way down the sunny sidewalk, the indigo and gold bag swinging after her.

They were waiting at the corner of the High Street, where Trovitopolis Books was to be found. Misty, her hair blazing in the intense sunlight; Ash, teeshirtless under his jacket; Brock, paying a nearby vendor for some cones of ice-cream; Jesse, someone she hadn't really been expecting, cerise hair matching the mini skirt she was wearing, her conspicuous uniform long abandoned, Jacqui; demure and pale – the anomaly. 

It was Jacqui who saw her first, and greeted her with a smile – a smile so genuine Trish was taken a bit aback. She really had no idea what to make of the girl. She only knew not to ponder it now. There were more interesting things afoot! Her grip on the bag tightened, sending new wrinkles in the plastic snaking down from the handles.

~*~

She felt her lungs tighten in protest as she attempted to breathe in heavily. The air around her was heavy with scent, but age and years of cigarette dependency denied her. Instead the scents she wanted to fully experience washed around her on the breeze, teasing locks of her pure white hair. She had always worn it down, despite severe buns being the stereotypical style of her certain profession. Long flowing hair was a symbol of sexuality. Of virginity, she guessed. Female power. In her day as the Madame Boss she had ordered long loose hair as part of the uniform for her female agents. Female power. Something frightening, easily underestimated.

It was one of her better days. It seemed like ages since she had had the feeling of circulating air on her skin. Her entire body felt flattened by the continuous weight of her bedding. To be sitting here on a window seat, confronted with the sun, the sea, the sands when she was growing steadily accustomed to the darkness was like a lifeline. A pill for depression. Effective, yet sadly temporary.

~*~

Jesse only had to tilt her head slightly for it to be cushioned by the hair that was draped over her shoulder. The end hung down below her waist and she absently played with the tip, perfectly tapered like a paintbrush. It was easier to watch Trish from her new vantage-point. She and James had not wanted to appear worried, they had decided not both to follow her around all day. 

Her cornflower blue eyes quickly flashed down to the bag Trish was holding tight to her hip and smiled sardonically. She didn't know why Trish had decided to buy something from that particular shop, but it was comforting to know that if the opportunity for a little adult fun came along during this journey, she knew where she could borrow what was important.

Trish had returned to her earlier state of ethereal elation. She had expressed actual jubilation at finding herself in the first section of the queue, which was directly adjacent to the stage currently sporting only a desk surrounded by stacks of _Dragon-Man_. The queue, an expected mix of swooning females and male Trainers stretched and doubled in on itself several times, each horizontal section defined by roping.

Two o' clock was approaching. Men all in black appeared on the stage and began to set up a microphone. Trish felt like fainting.

~*~

Mia was bored. No, not just bored, she was booooooooooorrrrrreeeeeeeeed. Everybody was sunbathing – shiny bodies on the sands of the beach, completely unmoving until an alarm went off signifying a universal turn-over. Everyone excluding Erin (napping) and Rachel and Todd (god knows what) and of course, those at the signing. Mia sunk into the soft cushioning of the couch with a sigh. I should have gone with Trish and the others, she thought moodily, deciding that even reaching for the remote control would be too much effort.

Pale blue hair rushed past her, leaving a literal trail of dust. Mia yawned.

****

"Hey Cel." Celestine paused at the door, rainbow coloured duster in hand. 

**"Hey Mia," **she replied, **"why aren't you outside with the others?" **Mia made a noncommittal expression. **"Sorry, but I can't stop to chat," **she said hurriedly, pathetically attempting to dust the wooden doorframe. **"My cleaning lady's coming today." **Mia raised an eyebrow.

**"You're cleaning for your cleaning lady?" **Celestine blushed slightly.

****

"Dirt is embarrassing…" she answered meekly. Mia rolled her eyes and raised herself from the couch. **"Chuck us the polish then," **she said. It was something to do after all.

~*~

Excitement rippled through the waiting crowd. A countdown to two began at thirty seconds to go. Trish suddenly felt very conscious of her bag, the plastic sticking to her flesh in the heat. _Twenty!_ the crowd roared as one. Trish stuck her chin out defiantly. She noticed the coloured lights in the small fly-loft above her move expectantly. _Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!_

As he had obviously been waiting somewhere, Drake appeared on stage at this exact instant, smiling, waving graciously at his adoring crowd. Trish drank in the sight of him. All brooding and pectorals and navy trousers. Mmmm. His minimised Pokéball containing his famed Dragonite hung from a chain around his neck. She was close enough to see it quiver slightly against his collarbone as he spoke into the microphone, hushing the crowd instantly.

**"I'd like to thank you all for being here today, to celebrate with me, my labour of love," **he smiled, genuinely grateful as he surveyed the crowd. Trish felt like her heart was swelling. He was a nice guy! She could tell he stopped his gaze to read every single banner, left no area not smiled warmly at, truly appreciated the support. **"I will now read from my autobiography," **Drake continued, and Trish could sense the falter in his voice as he encroached into unfamiliar territory. As one author to another she sympathised. You can never be too sure what the reaction will be to your work. **"It's er, priced here at, er –" **he deftly turned his copy of the book around to find it unpriced and blushed. **"Er, a very reasonable price indeed."**

He cleared his throat suddenly and forcedly, as if somebody had told him that he should do it before starting and he had almost forgotten to. 

**"She was to be the last full relationship I would have." **Drake was sweating slightly, and ran one hand over his tapered brown hair as he continued reading. **"I was now entering into a world of profile – of kiss-and-tell stories, of gold-diggers, of fangirls. It turned out my sudden singledom served me well, publicity-wise, as my agent could then send me to premieres and the like with a different** **celebrity woman every fortnight. I grew very lonely. I threw myself more into my training."**

The crowd was silent, listening, awed in the presence of their idol, laid bare for all to see. Trish fingered her bag. She suddenly felt very stupid. How could she do this while the crowd around her stood in revered silence? She stood listening to him – how long did he read? Only ten, fifteen minutes or so. The crowd seemed to instinctively know that he had finished, and burst into uproarious applause. Trish seized her chance.

**"DRAAAAKE!" **she screeched along with the crowd, and flung her spangled present high into the air, where it caught the lights and landed a little more north than had been her intention. The crowd was shocked into silence. Heresy. Blasphemy. Sacrilege. Their idol, their beloved shining idol, standing there in front of the world, stunned. Not that you could really see his expression because there was a pink sequinned thong on his face. 

Misty, Ash and Brock stared at Trish with literal fear of her evident. Bodyguards were beginning to scramble onto the stage as Drake stood there as if comatosed. 

**"Why the hell did you do that?" **Misty hissed as she grabbed the taller woman's arm and began to drag her out of the queue. Jacqui spoke up as she hurried out of the line as well.

**"That isn't a custom in this world then?" **she asked, as they rounded the corner of the High Street, the boys and Jesse not far behind them. Misty felt as if the only thing saving them from a massive retaliation by the Drake-fans was the fact that they were still transfixed on their idol as he removed the shimmering undergarment from his blushing face. He watched the retreating group of people, the older one, a woman with black hair and furiously blushing cheeks staring back at him as a shorter red-head pulled her from his view.

He looked down at the item in his hand, and his grip on it tightened. Something should be done about this!

~*~

Trish sat at the dinner table, a mere shadow of what she had been at the breakfast table. Her chest felt tight with mortification. Is this what her dream had foretold? She smiled wryly. Death by humiliation. Celestine entered the room, uncertainly.

**"Er… phonecall?" **They looked at each other. The hospital. Michelle.

**"I'll take it," **offered Sarah, as she had finished eating, and she rose from the table and made her way out to reception. The rest sat in silence, not bothering to continue eating, straining their ears to hear the short conversation. Sarah reappeared, eyes to her, expectantly. Sarah had only two words and a smile.

**"She's awake."**

~*~

[A/N]

You, oh fine reader of mine. I love you. Please review. Jelly-tots for all.

And the person who wondered if Lillith was actually part of the plot… I brought the segment with her two chapters forwards just for you!

And YAY! My favourite chapter that I've had partially written out for AGES coming NEXT!

xxx


	8. I Must Not Chase The Boys

****

DISBOUND

(chapter twenty-two)

****

must not chase the boys

Theme Song: 'Every Heart' - Inuyasha

**__**

Slyly, he squinted across the airy room. Within seconds the revealed slit of indigo was clamped shut again. Damn. Damn. Why wasn't she looking at him? Travis exhaled as loudly as he dared. Was it his hair? It was his hair. Damn this hospital-bed-hair!! But still – he was fit, she was fit… and fit people owe it to genetics to stick together…

Another snuck look. A preoccupied swipe at his limp navy hair. Come on. Come and take a look baby…

**__**

**__**

Erin's Day: Sunday, 10.19am

Tapping her cheek with one long fingernail, en rapport with the cheesy 'Good Morning Sunshine', Erin practically beamed as she made her way down white sterile corridors to Michelle's semi-private ward. It was okay. Group dynamic would soon be restored. Just a little while longer and we can get off this bloody island, Riny bounced, her hair bobbing in tune as she smiled at a familiar nurse and threw open the pallidly painted ward doors.

Michelle's bed was empty. The sheets were in disarray, and her stuff was still strewn around, but it was totally and utterly, _undeniably_ empty. Erin's throat went dry and she swallowed slowly.

A foreign set of noises, punctuated with a familiar girlish titter called her attention to the other bed. And the sight thereon roused her bile. Michelle was curled up on the formerly sleeping (that or very quiet) dark haired boy who had shared the ward. And he was sucking on her face. Erin blinked.

The mystery-dark-haired-boy was pawing at Michelle's flimsy hospital gown with delight, and Michelle was giggling away like the cast of a Barbie movie. Later, Erin wondered how it was that Michelle could so openly giggle when her mouth was so openly attached to another, but at that precise moment in time, she didn't really care all that much.

They hadn't noticed her; hadn't even looked up when they heard the doors swing open. Cuh. Rude. Disrespectful even. The boy began to seemingly attack the poor, light green hospital gown that was separating him from what Erin immediately classified as 'Michelle's virtue'. Never one to be rude, but never one to stand around and watch something this annoying and sickening to her over-practiced morals, Riny took a deep breath…

**"MI-CHELLE!" **she screamed in horror, and the equally horrified Michelle seemed to leap backwards to her own area as if pulled by a magnet. Mystery Boy leant backwards on the pillow, putting his weight on his arms, looking smug and satisfied with himself despite his current out of breath state, and the fact that he had been caught doing nothing really wrong by the worse possible person.

Erin stared back at him, barely hearing Michelle's hurried excuses and explanations. Now Erin was a likeable person, and generally liked everyone, and even if she didn't, she had an utterly believable way of pretending she did. There was just no excuse for being rude, even if you DIDN'T like the person. And you should never judge a book by its cover.

But Erin was judging. She had no idea who this person was, and the fact that he had been gyrating against one of her best friends who, up until the previous night, had been unconscious, had nothing to do with it. Erin was about to make one of her world famous First Impression Decisions, that she was always too stubborn to change… so it was lucky that all of her Decisions had been spot on.

She hated him. He was a wanker. A total wanker. He was right at the end on the Scale of Wankers. He was the sole inhabitant of the Wanker Universe. He was a wanker of the highest order and the greatest magnitude. A wanker to end all other wankers. A complete and total wanker. Yeah, you really had to hand it to him - he was at the cutting edge of Wankerdom.

She hated him. And, sighing at the furious look on her petite friend's face that was directed at her beau, Michelle realised, that this was going to be one of those 'Erin Opinions' that never could be changed, and was made instant gospel.

_Feck_, was what Michelle was thinking.

_How did this happen????_ was what Erin's mind was worried about.

**__**

Michelle's Day: Sunday, 9:53 am

No amount of concealer in the _world_ is ever going to hide this godawful, disfiguring and downright ugly scar currently so spectacularly adorning my left cheek… Actually, Michelle thought on reflection, they'd done a pretty good job patching her up, and with the ever-so-useful insta-healing system in this screwy world, they'll probably just fade away without leaving so much as a blemish. Which, you know, would be fantastic.

Michelle sighed emptily, and her arm fell limply back on the sheet, still clutching the nurse-provided hand-mirror in a shaky grip. She glared at the foreboding drip that had spent the previous day malignantly pumping and/or sucking chemicals to/from her bloodstream. She shrugged the thin blanket around her shoulders so she could turn over on to her side, and let the mirror fall from her hand to the floor with a plasticy clatter. It didn't even break. Shame.

She could tell that the boy in the bed opposite was sitting upright, and trying to catch her attention without actually having to draw attention to himself, which, let's face it, was not going to work, so she blanked him completely. She wasn't in the mood to converse with spiky-haired strangers. What kind of sicko picks up the girl in the opposite hospital bed anyway? What would his line be? Come here often?

And what about this terrible and obscuring mutant _pockmark_ where the apple of her cheek used to be. Now that's attractive. A talking point at least.

Spiky kept staring. She let him.

Her body clock was seriously screwed. Her sense was protesting at the fact that she had awoken just before midnight and hadn't got any well-deserved sleep since. Then the intellect kicked in with the point that she had been _asleep_ for days, and her body was probably protesting the sensible, primal urge. Kinda like being water-logged. But… sleep-logged…

Michelle rolled her eyes at her own deranged chain of thought and tossed herself around on to her back and started shrugging her shoulders violently against the cardboard mattress and paper thin pillow, trying to both knock the numbness out and get comfortable on the pathetic excuse for a bed. Guess hospital standards are the same no matter what dimension you're in, she mused, dreamily, awash in the world of white as she stared up through half closed eyes at, symbolically, the most boring ceiling there ever was.

The silence was broken.

****

"Come here often?" Michelle felt like sighing aloud. Even his voice was as she had stereotypically expected.

****

"Yes. I'm a flaming hypochondriac." There was a silence and Michelle inwardly groaned as she realised the limitations of Spiky's vocabulary. Bode well, this does not…

****

"Yeah. Er. Me too. Heh. So… what you in for?"

Impatiently, Michelle sat up on the pillows so she was staring the boy down. He looked a little washed out (which was to be expected, why else would he be in a hospital?), but decent enough. She was startled to find the boy reminded her of Ash. But he was more like Ash-plus-Sex. His wild spikes were a navy blue, as were his eyes, and his well-defined physique was evident even through the green hospital gown. Hmmm.

****

"Well, if you must know – I had a little accident while out shopping. Bit of glass – it was messy. You know how these things are." Ash-plus-Sex nodded sagely. Michelle sighed and shifted against the starch pillows again. **"How about you?"**

"Appendix out. It sucked."

"Hmmm I can imagine."

"Being in the hospital sure is boring, huh?"

"Yup. It's why I try not to make a habit of it. That and the whole bed-pan thing."

"You bored right now then?"

"Obviously, since I'm talking to a complete stranger. About bed-pans."

"Fair enough. Wanna come over here and make out?"

"Whatever."

**__**

Trish's Day: Sunday, 10.26am

The mere twitch of Todd's lips as he smiled at the witty soap opera banter made Rachel's knees turn to water. This was bad. She could _feel_ Duplica staring at her through the eyes of the buxom actress on the screen as she implored her best friend to _quit_ shagging her husband.

Todd shifted, making her skirt ride up slightly. Was it entirely appropriate for him to be lying with his head on her lap anyway? She turned her doe eyes imploringly to Trish for help, but the older woman was staring glumly at the screen with dull eyes and other recognisable ravaging of a sleepless night.

**__**

"I can't help it, Nolene! He's just got that something… that something!"

"You lie, Darla! Ricardo is my soulmate! He could never complete you the way he completes me!"

"I never said that I loved him! It's just sex – something which you obviously can't give him!"

"You're so horrible! I said I'd never let these things get out but… but… Darla! Not ONLY is Ricardo the person who got the Emerson's daughter pregnant but he embezzled funds from the last charity fete! PLUS! HE'S YOUR HALF-BROTHER!"

Trish stared moodily at the screen where two women were attempting to pull each other's hair out. She wished that _she_ had a boyfriend who she could accuse of being someone's half brother. Maybe she _would_ have by now, if she hadn't gotten… over-excited…

At the memory of the previous afternoon's… indiscretions… Trish turned as pink as the spangly thong itself. If that had been back home and a Tom Jones concert, nobody would have batted an eyelid… Trish exhaled and sunk lower in the couch cushions. She could hear the voices of Mia, Gary, Cel and Misty as they played Memory with a pack of cards, using the space of the expansive dining room table. The bell at reception dinged cheerfully and Celestine let off a comparative anguished wail.

****

"I'll forget! I'll forget!"

"I'll get it, I'll get it…" Trish grumbled as she heaved herself up from the couch and shuffled in slippers towards the airy reception hall. **"Hello! May I help you?" **she tried her best cheerful voice. The man at the counter turned around, confused at the voice that came from behind him.

Trish was instantly suspicious. The tall man looked at her, his expression unreadable behind his sunglasses. It wasn't this that made her suspicious – it was the fact that he was wearing a huge and heavy black overcoat and trilby hat pulled tight and low. The man must be sweltering. And insane.

****

"Um… um…" Trish faltered, feeling underdressed in her vest top and cropped cream trousers. **"Would you like a room sir?"**

****

"No," the man said, his voice thick with false accent. **"Might I enquire if a 'Trish' is currently in residence here? I er, need to speak with her about something she… dropped yesterday. It's quite serious." **The bottom fell out of Trish's world. Surely a little risqué excitement like hers wasn't call to arrest her? Breathing deeply to stop her hands from shaking, Trish did the first thing that came to mind.

****

"Yes," she smiled brightly, **"we do have a young woman by the name of Trish staying at the moment. I'll go fetch her." **Trish managed to stay at a serene walk until she was out of the man's view, at which point she broke into a non-too-dignified flat out run towards the dining room. She threw her weight at the swing doors and slid in across the carpet on her slippers. Gary, Misty, Cel and Mia looked up at her expectantly.

****

"Who is it?" Celestine asked.

****

"It's the cops!" Trish wheezed, scrambling around the polished table, skidding cards across its surface and grabbing Mia tightly. **"Pretend to be me!"**

"Wha?" Mia just had time to murmur before she was wheeled around and frog-marched out to reception. The man was still waiting, coolly leaning on the counter and fiddling with something around his neck, concealed by the huge winter coat.

****

"What's with the coat?" Mia whispered as he came in view, distrust evident. **"He looks like a freakin' 1920s Russian Communist."**

"Maybe he is…" Trish retorted darkly, as the man looked up.

****

"What the hell is going on here?" Gary appeared, bellowing as loud as he could in his nasal voice. He saw the large man immediately and blinked, folding his arms across his bare chest. He was followed by Sarah, rubbing her eyes sleepily and tugging out a knot in her hair. Her eyes widened too.

****

"Hasn't somebody told Rasputin about Global Warming?" she asked, yawning as she spoke, gazing at the assembled group with one eye. The man sighed.

****

"I'm sorry if my appearance is confusing you." Trish noticed that he had lost the accent. **"Now, er, Trish?" **Trish pinched Mia.

****

"Owww- um, yes?"

"Look," sighed the man, but he was interrupted by Ash and Misty coming through the main doors into reception, Pikachu chittering away. Ash stopped dead in a hero-like stance at the scene, Pikachu copying him on cue.

****

"You will not take advantage of these women!" he declared, pointing a straight arm and finger at the extremely confused black-clad man. **"Rocket pervert scum! Pikachu!" **Gary groaned, and rubbed his temples.

****

"No, Ash!" Celestine called, **"don't fry the customers!"**

"Look!" the man repeated, more forceful this time, the regional Southern Islands accent clear in his voice. **"I've just come to talk to Trish. And you are not her," **he nodded towards Mia. Trish's mouth hang agape.

****

"How did you know?"

The man smiled, his first evident facial expression. Without an explanation, he reached into his deep pocket.

****

"If you pull a gun, I swear you'll be eating off a hospital tray before you can even pull the trigger!" Ash warned darkly from where he still stood in his hero stance. Pikachu issued an equally menacing call of warning. The man sighed again.

****

"Listen, young Ketchum," he turned to the boy, his voice now clear from all falsity, and strangely familiar. **"I think your bravery and determination is a beautiful thing. Really I do. I always have. But if you don't be quiet, I'm going to _have_ to kick your ass. Now hush." **Ash fell silent immediately, staring at the stranger with confused dark eyes.

The man reached back into his pocket and drew out the shameful pink thong Trish had spent the majority of her remaining money on. Where in the sultry-lit shop it had sparkled with cheeky promise, here in the bright morning sunshine it looked tacky and ridiculous. Trish swiped it out of the man's hand, her cheeks colouring, and shoved in into her trouser pocket out of Gary's hungry gaze. Mia crossed over to him and stepped on his foot. She didn't want him getting any ideas.

****

"Well er, er, thank you sir, for er, returning my er, er… item. It's most… appreciated." Trish stared up at him. **"So, do you er, work for Drake?" **The man laughed, a deep sound in his throat.

****

"You could say that," he smiled widely, easing the heavy coat off his shoulders, revealing someone all brooding and pectoral and navy trousered. There was a collective breath held in the reception as he carelessly draped the garment across the counter.

****

"Kick your ass, done it before, jerk…" Ash grumbled darkly under his breath. Drake grinned around at everyone, pulling off his sunglasses and hat, tossing them onto the coat.

****

"How… how did you find me?" Trish stammered, slightly overwhelmed.

****

"We got the audience to sign in as they started to queue," Drake explained, always careful to look Trish deeply in her dark eyes as he spoke. **"We do it so we can send newsletters and stuff, but in this case we just worked out who the woman who threw the underwear must have been by talking to the woman who had been in front of you, and checking the name under hers on the list. Then, you wrote under 'address' that you were a tourist, so I've been checking all the hotels and the like."**

Trish blushed a hotter pink than before.

****

"The knickers weren't that expensive…" she mumbled. **"You didn't have to go to so much trouble to return them. Unless…" **she looked up at him pleadingly. **"Unless I'm in some kind of trouble?" **Drake laughed again.

****

"Trouble? Nah. In fact, I also wanted to thank you."

"THANK her?" chorused the assembled crowd, which Trish was startled to see, also included Brock, Jacqui, Karlie and James. Drake smirked.

****

"Yes. Thank her. You see, I was so nervous, I was imagining the worse thing that could happen while I was reading. Now, even though I did wonder if the audience would throw things, I was imagining more along the lines of garbage and rotten fruit, not something as pleasurable as what you did!" Drake blushed for the first time, and broke his eye contact with Trish, who was relieved as it meant she could breathe again.

****

"Well, er… I'm glad to be of service," she spoke down to her feet, humbly.

****

"Now I'll never have to be nervous again. I'll just think of you. Thanks," Drake repeated, his voice soft.

The hall was suddenly filled with a thick silence. Trish looked yearningly at Drake's shoes. How to make him stay? How to make him hers? How to make him live in a matchbox in her pocket so she could call upon him at her leisure? This was her moment… the moment where she met and forged a fledgling relationship with _her_ Pokémon character. Mia, Karlie and Rachel had all managed it – and she was a grown woman! So _why_ wasn't anything happening?

****

"Drake, would you like to stay for lunch? We have a large travelling group… _many_ of which are Dragon Trainers who would love to meet you," Sarah lied through her teeth. **"That is of course, if you're not busy?"**

Drake looked at Trish. Well, at the top of her head anyway, since she was still so intent on staring at the flooring.

****

"If the dear lady Trish will have me," he said finally, with a smile. Trish finally looked up, and broke into a matching grin as she offered him her arm and lead him in.

****

"Oooh!" cried James who was standing behind her as he whipped the offending thong out of Trish's back pocket. **"This is like Jesse's!"**

This was met with disturbed faces.

****

"Er, Jesse's hair. You know. Pink, pink? Her hair is pink? Ehehehe…"

"Learn to ignore him," was the sage advice Trish gave the man on her arm as they walked into the sitting area.

**__**

That night

"Michelle, you are NOT to see The Wanker again."

"Riny, his name is Travis."

"Wanker."

"Travis!"

"Yeah, yeah," Erin muttered, knowing she should let the conversation drop. Michelle signed deeply, shifting on the couch running a fingertip lightly down the rapidly fading puckering on her cheek.

A small dark figure walked into the room to announce dinner. Michelle would have fallen off the couch if not for the several cushions propping her up. Despite her surprise, she still managed to grip onto her usual sardonic ways.

****

"So dear Jacqueline," she drawled at the newcomer. **"When did you get here?" **Jacqui grinned at her old friend.

****

"At the hospital, while you were out of it," she replied.

****

"Having fun?" was Michelle's next enquiring drawl.

****

"Tons," was Jacqui's quick, cheerfully sarcastic answer. **"Dinner's ready."**

"Is Drake still here?" Erin complained as she and Jacqui helped to untangle Michelle from her supporting pyramid of pillows.

****

"Mmmhmm," Jacqui nodded the affirmative. Erin scowled.

****

"I don't like all these changes! All these new _males_!" she hissed.

****

"Someone's jealous," retorted Michelle to Jacqui as she heaved herself from the couch and made her way slowly behind the other two to the dining room.

****

"No," Erin frowned, **"it's not that. I just feel like something big is gonna happen. Something's coming. Remember, very little is incidental lately."**

The three English girls had just got to the double doors of the dining room when they swung open violently. Mia ran out, her hands clasped tightly across her mouth, her eyes white and bulging. She made it as far as the door out of the lounge to the stairs before she was violently sick on the teal carpet.

Erin was at her side in a flash, Michelle not far behind, Jacqui heading to the kitchen for some water. Erin held the Puerto Rican girl's short hair back and flinched against the sound of her retching. Thick sobs came, uncharacteristic and wet in her raw throat and Michelle rubbed her back.

****

"Trish!" Jacqui screamed out, **"don't touch the food!"**

"I – did-n't- touch the – food," Mia hiccupped, her entire body seemed to be groaning and burning beneath Michelle's hand. **"I, I-"**

Mia pitched forward in a dead faint – it took all of Michelle's limited strength to stop her from landing in the mess she had just made. Erin released her hair and rolled her over from it. The others had emerged curiously from the dining room. Erin left Mia in Jacqui's capable hands and marched up to Gary.

****

"You bastard! What have you done!" she screamed in his face, gripping his necklace to drag it down to meet hers.

****

"What? No!" Gary yelled back, one of the few not intimidated by the short girl, looking nervously behind her to watch Mia, currently being tended by Jacqui and Brock.

****

"Now, what the hell is going on here?" Drake demanded. **"Someone call a doctor."**

On the twilight beach an unfamiliar figure watched the silhouettes of the people in the bed and breakfast through the windows. He thrust his hands into the back pockets of his baggy jeans.

It _was_ nice to see everyone again, Tony thought.


	9. Monochrome Delirious

**DISBOUND**

(chapter twenty-three)

**monochrome delirious**

**Theme Song: **'Tokimeki no Doukasen' – Fushigi Yuugi

-----

**"You look terrible," **Gary noted, not even bothering to knock the snide amusement out of his voice. Mia groaned and shifted against the damp bed sheets.

**"Thanks," **she croaked.

**"No, I mean it," **Gary continued airily, as he rinsed out her makeshift cold-compress in the nearby bowl of water. **"I have never seen you look this bad." **Mia growled low in her throat, and regretted it immediately due to the rasping pain it produced. **"Not even when you clambered half-drowned out of the ocean covered in oil," **Gary continued, **"not even first thing in the morning. Not even-"**

Somehow Mia found the strength to lean over and tip the bowl of freezing water onto his crotch.

-----

**"Something to drink?" **Drake offered, with a fond smile, A4 menu in hand. Trish's mouth was already open to reply when she stopped.  Darkness poured down her throat, sucking in her moisture.

_She could not breathe in air, she only breathed out fire. Gasping, she clutched to her consciousness as the darkness became more and more complete._

_She felt the fire spread. Felt each and every organ give out on her._

_The darkness came for her._

_She was dead._

**"Trish? Trish?" **

Trish jolted out of her reverie and stared at the concerned man opposite her with blank eyes. It took a few seconds for the message to move reached her arm.

**"Oh, sorry Drake, I-" **She swallowed; her tight chest complained. **"I just remembered something I have to do later." **Drake relaxed, although his expression remained lightly worried. Trish made her aching cheek muscles create a warm smile as she reached for the water bottle in her bag.

**"I… do have enough money to get you a bottle of mineral water, you know?" **Drake said, in an amused tone.

**"Oh, no, I know," **Trish exclaimed, **"it's just I have this… thing, where I have to er, know where my drink comes from." **Drake stared at her and she inwardly winced.

**"Um, that's kinda cute. Like a… compulsive disorder? My sister has a thing where she has to tap the sphere at the end of the banister whenever she goes past it." **Not sure whether or not she should laugh, Trish attempted a weak smile and gulped down some of her luke-warm water. Perhaps sensing that Trish was somewhat nervous, Drake took masterful control of the conversation.

**"So, did you read about the time I was playing Lysander in a outdoors production of _A Midsummer Night's Dream_?"**

Trish lit up and leant over the table towards him.

-----

Erin couldn't suppress a smile as she entered the room; Mia dewy-skinned but pouting ferociously in the direction of the window, Gary scowling equally ferociously as he blotted a dark stain on the front of his trousers. The sexual tension was humming between them as it had since the day they met; Erin's smile became a chuckle – she had never known a couple deserve each other so.

Mia was the only one to turn as she heard the laugh of the other girl, and was met by a cool palm pressing itself to her forehead. She blinked, her green eyes already clearing of the fug that had clouded them at the height of the mysterious malady.

**"I suppose you can get up whenever you feel like it now," **Riny said, voice solemn. **"But, if it were me, I'd have an hour's kip or so," **she continued, in a way that made it sound less like a polite suggestion and more like a direct order. Mia didn't want to argue; Riny's form was already distorting around the edges as her tired eyes begged for respite. The last thing Mia saw as her clammy neck hit cool pillow was Gary, turning back around to look at her, his soft expression evident even through the veil of closing eyelashes.

The even breathing that filled the room signalled to Erin that Mia had fallen asleep immediately and she gently rose from where she had been half-sitting on the bed, making a gesture at Gary that it was time to go. Gary seemed reluctant to leave, whether it was defence reaction to being bossed around by one so tiny, or desire to watch over his girlfriend, Erin didn't know. She only knew he was going to do as he was told. Expertly placing a long fingernail at his shoulder blade, she guided him swiftly from the bedroom. Gary shrugged her off as they turned into the main corridor and shoved his hands into his pockets.

**"Out of interest, Fluff," **he sneered, in a pretentious tone that made him sound as if he wasn't really interested at all, **"where did you get off blaming me for all this?" **

**"Meh?"**

**"You know." **Gary mimed the short girl's erratic behaviour the previous night by screwing up his face and tugging on his own necklace. **"You bastard!" **he cried, in a highly affected pitch that was obviously meant to be a parody of a panicked female.

**"Oh." **Erin coloured slightly and brushed it off. **"Well, you know."**

**"She thought you'd knocked her up!" **came the voice of the only person who could match Gary with a jeer. Both Gary and Erin scowled at Karlie.

**"No, no, not necessarily," **Erin blithely defended herself to the two of them. Gary stopped and leaned back against the white wall, arms setting in a fold at his chest as he scrutinised her. Erin faltered. **"It's just… if anyone had done anything to her… it would have been you." **

Gary blanched. **"What?! Are you kidding me?"**

Karlie didn't seem to be following either. **"Rin, he's the last of us who would hurt her."**

Erin shook her head. **"You don't understand. In that moment, to me, it wasn't about being here, or being killed. I just saw Mia in distress. And I'm not used to it, Mia's too strong."**

Comprehension dawned first on Karlie's face and she nodded slowly. **"Too strong," **she echoed.

**"But one word from you, and…" **Erin's sentence trailed off as she saw realisation on the boy's face and knew that voicing her opinion any further was unnecessary.

**"I didn't know that she…" **Gary said slowly, as he straightened from the wall and walked further down the corridor at a brisk pace, as if wanting to put as much distance between Mia and the conversation as possible. The two girls jogged a little to catch up, but remained behind the boy, out of pace.

**"Of course. You fill her up inside," **Erin said, poetically, with a laugh to lighten the mood.

**"She'd do anything for you," **Karlie agreed, as they reached the end of the white corridor. The blast of summer sunshine as Gary pushed the veranda door open masked the boy's expression. Karlie skipped past him to join Tracey sketching in the allotment at the side of the house, raising a hand in greeting to an orange and peach smudge that was Misty sitting by the wavebreak. Gary sunk wordlessly into one of the maroon-cushioned chairs that faced the surf.

Erin hung nervously for a moment, regarding the back of Gary's head as he in turn watched the rolling waters. Obviously emotions, belong or relating to himself, were not something Gary enjoyed discussing, though he looked deep in thought. After a full minute of stony silence, Erin took the hint and retreated back inside the house.

-----

There was sudden darkness. Misty squinted up with one eye. Gary was blocking her sun, his face impassive.

**"I need to talk to you."**

Misty immediately felt the need behind the even tone of voice and patted the sand next to her. Gary slid into a sitting position, one leg stretched out, the other bent and hugged into his torso.

**"It's about Mia,"** he offered into the silence, voice as smooth as the sand he kept his eyes trained on**. "I've been thinking. It's all been getting too intense, around here and, you know, with her. And - and, I've decided that she's a distraction."** Gary raked his fingers through the sand beside him. **"So I'm going to end it. I can't deal with her right now, you know?"**

Misty was silent as she contemplated the side of his face. She sighed and flicked off the sand that had become embedded in her knees.

**"She won't buy that,"** she said quietly. Gary sharply turned to her and she was almost taken aback at the rawness in his eyes.

**"How do I make her?"** he asked quietly, in the same controlled voice.

**"You think you distract her?"** Misty deciphered. **"Oh, Gary, you're wrong. She-"**

**"Please!"** There was no control in Gary's interruption. His teeth were clenched, his eyes unnaturally wide.

**"You truly think this is best?"** Misty asked, softly, knowing the answer as she spoke.

**"Yes,"** Gary answered to the sand. His form crumpled, almost irreceptively; his forehead lightly banged against his raised right knee.

**"This will kill her,"** Misty shook her head, her mind starting to reel at the realisation that Gary was deadly serious.

**"It will keep her alive!"** Gary exploded, meeting Misty's concerned teal eyes with his blazing brown ones. Misty shook her head again, desperately groping for the right thing to say.

**"She loves you,"** she offered, quietly. Gary matched her sincere gaze with a level one.

**"She doesn't know me,"** came his cool, controlled reply. He let go of his right leg and began to brush sand off his trousers. He stiffened as he felt Misty's arms wrap around him.

**"Make her hate you,"** she whispered, her voice odd as she held him. **"Because it's far worse to love somebody who doesn't want you."**

Gary left Misty staring vacantly at the ocean. He was halfway back to the beach-house when he encountered a curious Ash.

"Hey man, what-" 

Gary pushed him aside without a second thought.

Years and years, he thought, as he made his way up to his bedroom. I couldn't be bothered to let people near. Now I'm even chasing it away. He collapsed on his bed fully clothed, pulling the blanket over him.

I don't need her, he answered the yawning cold inside him. And the last thing she needs is me.

-----

Trish was the safest she had felt in days; flanked by Drake and Michelle, she moved through the hospital corridors, conversing animatedly with Drake whilst Michelle did her best to remember the name of the doctor she was meant to visit for her check-up. In truth, there was the niggling sensation that somebody was watching her, but she reasoned it was probably Drake's strange attire (the Communist overcoat once again) or Michelle's brightly dyed hair that drew attention to the small group.

Tony scuffed his trainers against the floor as Wisdom walked past him, lemon pendant visible against her tanned breast. She wouldn't recognise him even if she saw him. Where there had once been long dark curtains of hair there were now neatly clipped spikes. His skin tone was lighter, and although he had not yet had the opportunity to speak, Tony was sure that his Spanish accent was gone. Only his eyes remained the same, dark and slightly slanted, somehow lucid under the shadows cast by his hair.

He watched as Reality paused outside a nondescript office door and peered at the nameplate, jeans almost as baggy as his own. Michelle shook her head and continued down the hall. As she turned, Tony noticed the almost-faded scarring on her left cheek. What has been happening without me then, he thought in surprise, also noticing the large man who hovered around Wisdom like a bodyguard.

Barriers clattered down in Tony's head, keeping him locked in the coolest, simplest part of it. The exit to redemption was always barred. He stood still a moment, disorientated, until his vision focused again on the trio paused outside another door. He glanced at his arm nervously as if checking some long-gone watch.

**"This is as good as done," **he muttered to someone unseen. **"I'm not wasting any more of my time today."**

The boy turned and navigated himself deftly through the crowds. The movement of his darkness against the white of the nurses and doctors caught Michelle's attention for a second before it returned to the nameplate.

**"Doctor Challoner, yeah, that sounds about right."**

**"About time!" **Trish said wearily. **"We'll wait here," **she pointed to a set of red plastic chairs opposite the doctor's office. Michelle merely nodded and slipped into the room, blasting Trish and Drake with a gust of over-enthusiastic air-conditioning. Trish looked up at Drake's flushed face.

**"Aren't you hot?" **she teased. Drake grimaced.

**"I'm afraid you more or less get used to it," **he said, reaching for Trish's small hand with his big one, leading her across to the seating. Down the corridor the lift pinged the arrival of a janitor with an empty trolley, accompanied by an official looking nurse who disappeared into the first office. A few minutes later she returned with a gloved handful of medical refuse, which she dumped ceremoniously onto the trolley, before attending to the next unit.

As the trolley made its way down towards them, Drake and Trish's conversation returned to a particular topic that kept them both absorbed, no matter how many times they revisited it. Shakespeare.

**"Desdemona."**

**"Ophelia!" **Trish countered. Drake screwed his face up.

**"But she was a nutcase!"**

**"Precisely!" **Trish laughed. Drake responded by lifting one hand and brushing the apple of her cheek gently with the side of it. Both only had eyes for the other as the refuse trolley trundled past, both janitor and nurse obviously anxious to get the final room, that of Doctor Challoner, over and done with.

Drake felt Trish stiffen suddenly against the light touch of his hand and could actually see the happy blush drain from her cheeks.

**"What?" **he asked urgently, at the same time that the nurse gasped in horror, rushing back towards Trish. Drake followed the nurse's line of sight and went cold himself when he saw the cause of the panic. A rogue needle had fallen, and as chance would have it, was currently injected into the vein that curved around Trish's left ankle.

Trish couldn't, or perhaps wouldn't look at it. Glassy-eyed and damp with fear she merely allowed the alarmed nurse to grab her arms and half-carry her into Doctor Challoner's office. Drake rose to his feet, helplessly. He felt the blast of the cold air and Michelle's raised voice before the door swung to, leaving him and the greying janitor staring at each other across the expanse of white walls.

-----

**"There's something we need to talk about,"** Gary said. He looked strange; his dark eyes were hot as he looked at her, as if he was burning from the inside. He stood, a fluid, purposeful movement; his eyes never left hers.   
  
Mia's heart began to beat a little bit faster.

**"Don't."**

There was a drawn out silence before Mia realised that stretched voice had been her own. Gary seemed to lose momentum. He made no attempt to break the stifling silence. He simply stood in front of her, the metre between them yawning like a mile.

_Why is this so hard?_

His arms felt long and useless dangling alongside his body and he self-consciously folded them, the rapid movement breaking the stalemate of silence and stillness in the room. Mia's loosely clenched fist came partway up to her mouth on reflex. Her chest pinched, she was forced to open her mouth and relieve her lungs. Heat washed over her hand as she breathed out. The cheap peach carpet was irritating her feet but she daren't move any more. The room was still, stuffy, silent.

_Why do I know something's wrong?_

**"What's wrong?" **she tried to steady her voice. Nothing can be wrong, she repeated, forcing a mental chuckle at her own paranoia.

But Gary looked at her and she could see his mentally prepared speech behind his eyes. And she knew what it was he wanted to talk about – that pinched, warm spot in her chest was screaming it.


End file.
